Salary Intelligence
Plumber salaries abroad: where the pay goes furthest
Estimated plumber pay in 43 countries — gross, after-tax net, and purchasing-power-equivalent net — ranked by how far the take-home actually goes.
Where does a plumber earn the most after tax?
Key facts
- Best purchasing power: Switzerland ~$60,064 PPP-equivalent net for a mid-level plumber.
- Highest nominal net: Switzerland ~$80,013/yr take-home before cost of living.
- 43 countries compared each anchored to a primary-sourced national median wage.
- What you actually keep net is after income tax + social contributions (domestic resident tax, not expat regimes).
US benchmark: $62,970ResearchedBLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 47-2152 · scaled to each country's national median.
Best countries for a plumber: explore by experience & metric
Set your experience level, rank by purchasing power or nominal take-home, and highlight your country.
| # | Country | Est. gross | PPP-equiv net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | $99,837 | $60,064 |
| 2 | United States | $62,970 | $52,777 |
| 3 | Iceland | $81,718 | $48,655 |
| 4 | Netherlands | $55,550 | $48,333 |
| 5 | Australia | $68,104 | $47,611 |
| 6 | United Kingdom | $56,222 | $47,046 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | $32,716 | $45,345 |
| 8 | Germany | $66,107 | $45,190 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | $70,835 | $44,875 |
| 10 | Norway | $66,654 | $43,428 |
| 11 | Ireland | $55,336 | $41,406 |
| 12 | Finland | $53,608 | $40,562 |
| 13 | Canada | $48,292 | $39,049 |
| 14 | Denmark | $69,852 | $38,475 |
| 15 | Belgium | $55,243 | $38,415 |
| 16 | Austria | $48,563 | $38,366 |
| 17 | Estonia | $27,239 | $35,406 |
| 18 | Sweden | $51,301 | $34,339 |
| 19 | Singapore | $25,522 | $34,052 |
| 20 | Spain | $31,675 | $33,622 |
| 21 | France | $38,666 | $32,952 |
| 22 | Lithuania | $24,692 | $32,682 |
| 23 | Czechia | $21,767 | $32,578 |
| 24 | South Korea | $28,409 | $31,526 |
| 25 | Israel | $45,488 | $31,469 |
| 26 | Hungary | $22,130 | $31,054 |
| 27 | Poland | $17,744 | $30,941 |
| 28 | Slovakia | $24,641 | $30,829 |
| 29 | Italy | $34,715 | $30,263 |
| 30 | New Zealand | $35,111 | $29,095 |
| 31 | Thailand | $9,968 | $28,491 |
| 32 | Slovenia | $30,871 | $28,451 |
| 33 | Greece | $23,918 | $28,016 |
| 34 | Japan | $31,377 | $26,998 |
| 35 | Portugal | $22,584 | $26,640 |
| 36 | Latvia | $23,578 | $26,151 |
| 37 | Turkey | $6,869 | $20,246 |
| 38 | South Africa | $10,369 | $19,538 |
| 39 | Brazil | $8,056 | $17,342 |
| 40 | Chile | $10,560 | $15,704 |
| 41 | Colombia | $5,091 | $13,186 |
| 42 | Mexico | $6,570 | $12,685 |
| 43 | Vietnam | $3,273 | $10,167 |
Ranked by purchasing power (after-tax pay restated in US price terms). Experience tiers scale the role's base pay and are re-taxed per country — a modelled estimate, not a survey.
Plumber estimates · Source: National median wage surveys (OECD AV_AN_WAGE, Eurostat SES, national statistical offices) + WhereNext tax engine · Last verified Jun 22, 2026
Where the money goes: Plumber in Switzerland
Gross pay erodes to take-home after tax, then adjusts for local prices — a mid-level estimate, every step sourced.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
- Gross$99,837
- Income tax−$19,824
- Net (after tax)$80,013
- Local prices−$19,949
- Real value$60,064
Keep rate 80% · net $80,013 · real value $60,064 (local prices eat into it)
| Step | USD/yr | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $99,837 | Estimated gross for the role. |
| − Income tax & social | −$19,824 | Resident tax brackets; you keep 80%. |
| Net (after tax) | $80,013 | Take-home in nominal USD. |
| − Local prices (PPP) | −$19,949 | Pricier than the US — your net buys less. |
| Real value (PPP-equiv. net) | $60,064 | What the net is worth in US price terms. |
Nominal pay vs real value: Plumber
Grey = take-home in nominal USD · green = what it's worth after local prices (PPP). The gap is why the highest-paying country isn't always where you keep the most.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
| Country | Nominal net | Real value | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $80,013 | $60,064 | −$19,949 |
| United States | $52,777 | $52,777 | +$0 |
| Iceland | $59,005 | $48,655 | −$10,350 |
| Netherlands | $44,175 | $48,333 | +$4,158 |
| Australia | $53,081 | $47,611 | −$5,470 |
| United Kingdom | $45,242 | $47,046 | +$1,804 |
| United Arab Emirates | $32,716 | $45,345 | +$12,629 |
| Germany | $37,215 | $45,190 | +$7,975 |
The sweet spot: Plumber pay vs cost
Net take-home (up) against cost of living (right). Top-left = high pay, low cost — where the money goes furthest. Lines mark the medians.
Updated · National medians (Eurostat / national stats) · US BLS OEWS May 2024 · World Bank ICP 2021 (PPP)
● sweet spot (high pay, low cost) · ● other countries · cost of living = World Bank ICP 2021 price level relative to the US.
| Country | Net take-home | Cost (US=100) | Real value | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $80,013 | 133 | $60,064 | |
| United States | $52,777 | 100 | $52,777 | |
| Iceland | $59,005 | 121 | $48,655 | |
| Netherlands | $44,175 | 91 | $48,333 | |
| Australia | $53,081 | 111 | $47,611 | |
| United Kingdom | $45,242 | 96 | $47,046 | |
| United Arab Emirates | $32,716 | 72 | $45,345 | Sweet spot |
| Germany | $37,215 | 82 | $45,190 | |
| Luxembourg | $51,990 | 116 | $44,875 | |
| Norway | $50,409 | 116 | $43,428 | |
| Ireland | $45,713 | 110 | $41,406 | |
| Finland | $39,488 | 97 | $40,562 | |
| Canada | $37,360 | 96 | $39,049 | |
| Denmark | $41,463 | 108 | $38,475 | |
| Belgium | $33,611 | 87 | $38,415 | |
| Austria | $33,633 | 88 | $38,366 | |
| Estonia | $22,953 | 65 | $35,406 | |
| Sweden | $35,277 | 103 | $34,339 | |
| Singapore | $25,323 | 74 | $34,052 | Sweet spot |
| Spain | $24,775 | 74 | $33,622 | Sweet spot |
| France | $27,001 | 82 | $32,952 | |
| Lithuania | $16,662 | 51 | $32,682 | |
| Czechia | $17,457 | 54 | $32,578 | |
| South Korea | $23,986 | 76 | $31,526 | |
| Israel | $37,180 | 118 | $31,469 | |
| Hungary | $14,716 | 47 | $31,054 | |
| Poland | $13,156 | 43 | $30,941 | |
| Slovakia | $17,971 | 58 | $30,829 | |
| Italy | $23,314 | 77 | $30,263 | |
| New Zealand | $28,546 | 98 | $29,095 | |
| Thailand | $9,620 | 34 | $28,491 | |
| Slovenia | $18,834 | 66 | $28,451 | |
| Greece | $17,888 | 64 | $28,016 | |
| Japan | $24,229 | 90 | $26,998 | |
| Portugal | $17,552 | 66 | $26,640 | |
| Latvia | $15,089 | 58 | $26,151 | |
| Turkey | $5,637 | 28 | $20,246 | |
| South Africa | $9,502 | 49 | $19,538 | |
| Brazil | $7,346 | 42 | $17,342 | |
| Chile | $8,653 | 55 | $15,704 | |
| Colombia | $4,566 | 35 | $13,186 | |
| Mexico | $5,953 | 47 | $12,685 | |
| Vietnam | $2,962 | 29 | $10,167 |
The cost axis is a country-level index. For a category-by-category breakdown (rent, groceries, transport…) across 95 countries and 380 cities, use the cost-of-living calculator.
Modelled estimate, not survey data. Each profession figure is the country's national median wage scaled by the role's skill premium — a directional model, not a per-role salary survey. Singapore is the exception: its figures are the Ministry of Manpower's June 2025 occupational medians. It is for a mid-level professional and varies widely by employer, seniority, bonus, equity, contract type and tax regime. Net is modelled via WhereNext's tax engine and is not tax or employment advice — verify with an employer or qualified advisor before making decisions.
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Plumber salary questions, answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country pays a plumber the most after tax?▾
On purchasing-power-equivalent net income, Switzerland, United States, Iceland lead for a mid-level plumber. On raw nominal take-home, Switzerland is highest (~$80,013/yr). High nominal pay doesn't always win once local prices are factored in.
Where can a plumber save the most money abroad?▾
The countries near the top of the purchasing-power ranking — where after-tax pay buys the most locally — give a plumber the most room to save. Use the cost-of-living calculator for a city-level rent and living-cost breakdown before deciding.
How reliable are these plumber salary estimates?▾
They are a model, not a per-role salary survey. Each figure is the country's primary-sourced national median wage (OECD, Eurostat, national statistical offices) scaled by the plumber skill premium and a tradability factor, then netted through WhereNext's tax engine. Treat them as a directional planning guide and verify any specific offer with the employer.
Do these figures include bonuses, equity or expat tax breaks?▾
No. They model base salary with domestic resident tax only. Bonuses, equity and special expat regimes (e.g. Portugal's IFICI, Spain's Beckham Law, the US FEIE) can change take-home pay substantially.
Are these remote salaries or local-market salaries?▾
Local-market salaries for the role in each country — not a foreign salary paid while living abroad. If you keep your current salary and relocate, use the salary calculator's remote-worker mode and check tax residency rules.