Software Engineer Salary in Spain: €91k Senior Base (2026)
All posts | Mar 23, 2026 | Felix GerschauSpain is not where you go to maximise your software engineering salary. The national median total compensation sits at roughly €45,000–€50,000 — about half of what the Netherlands pays and well below Germany's €81,495. But Spain keeps showing up on relocation shortlists for a reason: cost of living is lower, quality of life consistently ranks among Europe's best, and a growing cluster of international tech companies in Barcelona and Madrid now pay €100K+ at senior levels.
What employers post right now
In October 2026, the 59 senior software-engineering listings on this board with a posted pay range in Spain (from 8 companies) post a median base pay of €91k a year. The middle half of them sit between €77k and €93k. These are base salaries from live job ads, converted to euros at the current rate, so bonus and equity are not included. The board only lists employers chosen for paying senior engineers €100k or the local equivalent, so read this as the upper end of the market, not the national median. The levels.fyi figures further down are total compensation collected in March 2026. For the same view across ten countries, see software engineer salary in Europe.
Grafana Labs is the largest lister here, with 36% of the listings; without it the median is €87k.
By employer, for those with at least two listings. A company that posts many listings, like a large tech employer, can pull the country figure towards its own pay scale.
| Employer | Median base pay | Lowest to highest posted | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affirm | €104k | €86k–€122k | 8 |
| Grafana Labs | €91k | €65k–€117k | 21 |
| Elastic | €87k | €67k–€106k | 9 |
| Proton | €85k | €50k–€116k | 6 |
| Okta | €73k | €58k–€88k | 2 |
| €71k | €70k–€95k | 3 | |
| Mozilla | €67k | €42k–€83k | 9 |
The numbers at a glance
| Level / City | Median base | Median TC | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (0–2 yrs) | €27,000 | €28,000–€35,000 | limited |
| All levels, Spain | ~€43,000 | ~€47,000 | ~350 |
| Senior (Spain) | ~€52,000 | ~€60,000 | ~180 |
| Barcelona (all levels) | ~€47,000 | ~€52,000 | ~160 |
| Madrid (all levels) | ~€45,000 | ~€50,000 | ~120 |
| 90th percentile | — | ~€85,000 | ~350 |
Source: levels.fyi Spain, March 2026. Self-reported data skewing toward large tech companies.
Spanish net salary estimator
2026 IRPF brackets + 6.35% employee social security. Optional Beckham Law flat rate.
Estimate only. Actual net depends on tax class, health insurance choice, and personal circumstances.
Equity and bonus are almost non-existent outside international offices. See our Spain visa sponsorship guide for relocation details.
How Spain compares to the rest of Europe
Spain's ~€47,000 median TC trails Germany (€81,495) by roughly €34,000 and the Netherlands (€89,987) by over €40,000. For other destinations, see our top 5 European cities for software engineers.
Which companies actually pay the most
Google (Madrid): Senior engineers (L5) report €140,000–€160,000+ TC. The highest-paying employer in Spain.
Amazon (Barcelona/Madrid): SDE-II €80,000–€100,000 TC, SDE-III €110,000–€130,000.
Glovo (Barcelona): Senior €70,000–€95,000 TC, staff approaching €100,000–€110,000.
Typeform (Barcelona): Senior €65,000–€85,000 base, TC reaching €80,000–€100,000.
Adevinta (Barcelona): €60,000–€90,000 at senior levels. See the Spain €100K companies guide. Browse roles at nextleveljobs.eu/country/es.
What level do you need to hit €100K in Spain?
At most Spanish companies, €100K requires staff or principal level. At US tech companies, mid-to-senior level crosses it. Google L4 in Madrid and Amazon SDE-III in Barcelona both clear six figures.
Base vs total comp — what to negotiate
Spain's compensation is overwhelmingly base salary. The Beckham Law (Ley Beckham) allows qualifying inbound workers to pay a flat 24% tax rate on income up to €600,000 for up to six years. On €100,000 gross, that's ~€76,000 net vs ~€65,000 standard. See our Spain visa sponsorship guide for eligibility.
Find live roles at nextleveljobs.eu/country/es.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average software engineer salary in Spain?
- The median TC is approximately €45,000–€50,000. Senior-level median is roughly €55,000–€65,000.
- Is Barcelona or Madrid better paid?
- Barcelona edges slightly ahead (~€52,000 vs ~€50,000 median TC). Barcelona has more startups; Madrid has Google's HQ.
- Can you earn €100K in Spain?
- Only at international tech companies (Google, Amazon) at mid-to-senior level, or at staff level at top local companies like Glovo.
- What is the Beckham Law?
- A flat 24% tax rate for qualifying inbound workers on income up to €600,000 for up to six years. Dramatically increases net pay for relocating engineers.