How Much Does It Cost to Hire Developers in Ukraine?

This article was updated on June 14, 2022.

While Ukraine firmly takes ground as a primary developer outsourcing location for businesses worldwide, many clients lack a proper understanding of IT salaries in Ukraine.

Salary depends on the city and technology and the most popular range is from $700 to $3500. But the level of developers has increased in the past years because of the number of projects and R&Ds opened in Ukraine, so tech lead’s salaries and experienced senior developers salaries can be quite high.

However, it is vital to know the range of rates and prices that local programmers charge before starting the candidate search so that the recruitment process ends quickly and productively. You can also check which first steps you should take and what information you should check

before building  a development team abroad.

In this article, expert recruiters of Qubit Labs provide a detailed review of what it takes to hire a Ukrainian developer, what models of recruitment are possible, and explain the Ukrainian outsourcing rates considering the project types, the developer’s tech stack, and other variables.

What Is the Average Software Developer Salary in Ukraine?

Software developer salary in Ukraine ranges depending on skills and levels of experience of the developer. For example, the annual salary for software developer in Ukraine for entry level specialist is around $15,000 per year. Middle-level software engineer earns $22,000 yearly. The average salary of a Senior software developer goes up to $35,000 per year.

Ukrainian developer hourly rate depends much from the level of skills and level of experience. The average hourly rate for junior software developers goes from $10 to $15. The average hourly rate of a middle-level programmer is around $17-$20 per hour of his work. Senior software engineers would ask from $25 to $30 per hour.  

Updated Software Developers’ Salary in Ukraine in 2022 (for Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv)

Salary depends on the city and technology and the most popular range is from $800 to $4000.

Here you can find the information about salaries in 2022.

Angular/React Developer Salary Ukraine

Developers with a junior level of proficiency in React/JS charge $800-1,300 per month for their work. A middle-level expert in this field may cost you around $1,070-1,810, whole senior-level work starts from $3,020 per month.

ASP.NET Developer Salary in Ukraine

Junior-level programmers specializing in ASP.NET currently charge from $850 to $870 per month of their work in Ukraine, while middle-level rates reach $1,300-$2,300 per month. If you need a senior-level expert for an ASP.NET project, be ready to spend $3,500 and more per month.

C# Developer Salary in Ukraine

In Kyiv, a junior C# developer receives on average $900-$1,400 per month, while in Odesa, they receive around $1,000 per month. In Kharkiv, specialists of this level charge $1,080 per month on average, and in Lviv, the rates range within $1,150 in Lviv. Middle-level C# developers charge $2,400-3,200 in Kyiv, $2,500 in Odesa, $,2300 in Kharkiv, and $2,900 in Lviv. When it comes to senior-level coders, clients should be ready to pay $4,000 to candidates in Kyiv, $3,700 in Odesa, and $3,500 in Lviv.

C++ Developer Salary Ukraine

Junior C++ developers charge $1000-$1,400 in Kyiv, $600 in Kharkiv, with developers in Odesa and Lviv charging less on average. Middle-level coders will cost a company $2,000-2,150 when hiring in Kyiv, $2,670 is the candidate in Kharkiv.

As for senior-level specialists, the salary starts from $4,000 in Kyiv and $4,800 in Kharkiv.

DevOps Salary in Ukraine

DevOps is the specialization enjoying increasing popularity; Ukrainian beginners in this professional area charge $2,000 for their services, while middle-level talent already costs $3,150 per month. In case you need a seasoned senior-level professional to the team, he/she is likely to charge from $4,420 per month.

Distributed Ledger Technology Salary in Ukraine

A demanded profession now, DLT development costs a pretty penny. While no data is available for junior-level coders, middle-level blockchain specialists charge $2,000-3,000 on average, while senior-level experts may cost your company from $4,000 per month (data relevant for Kyiv).

Game Balancer Salary Ukraine

Game producers of middle level charge the rate of $1,800-2,300 per month, while senior-level producers are available from $3,000 per month.

Mobile Development (Android/iOS) Developer Salary in Ukraine

Mobile development for Android and iOS is generally charged on an equal rate in Kyiv. Here, you can hire a junior developer for $700-950 a month, while middle-level experts may cost you $1,310.

Senior-level programmers in this field charge from $1,650 per month.

Node.js Developer Salary in Ukraine

The rates of junior-level Node.js coders in Ukraine generally range from $900 to $1,100, while middle-level experts charge higher, $2,025 per month on average.

Senior-level talent may cost your company from $3,000 per month.

PHP Developer Salary in Ukraine

PHP developers’ rates range from $500-850 for a junior-level project to $2,000 for middle-level specialists and $3,500+ for senior-level experts.

Python Developer Salary Ukraine

The pricing for services of Python developers is generally in line with that of PHP coders. Junior-level specialists charge around $500-1,000 for their services, and middle-level coders want $1,200-2,330 for their monthly work. A senior-level Python developer will cost your business $3,900 at minimum, while some professionals charge up to $5,000 per month.

QA Salary in Ukraine

QA jobs differ by auto and manual tasks. A junior Automation QA charges $750-1,300, while a QA specialist of the same level for manual tasks rates the work at $600-900 per month. Middle-level Automation QA testers charge $2,500-2,793, and manual QA of senior level may cost you around $200-2,300.

Senior-level QA testers salary starts at $3,600 for auto work and $2,500 for manual testing. The statistics are relevant for Kyiv, while in other tech hubs in Ukraine, rates may be slightly lower.

Ruby on Rails Developer Salary in Ukraine

RoR developers charge $700-1,750 for junior-level tasks, while middle-level specialists have higher rates equaling $2,350-2,600. The senior-level RoR specialist starts at $4,100.

Salesforce Developer Salary Ukraine

In Kyiv Junior Salesforce developers earn around $1300 per month as long as in Kharkiv the coder earns around $1000 per month. In Lviv, an entry-level specialist will charge around $1,200 per month and in Odessa it will be approximately $1350 monthly.

When we talk about a middle-level Salesforce developer in Kyiv, the coders on this level will ask about $1800 per month of their work, In Lviv, a middle-level Salesforce programmer charges around $1500 per month. In Kharkiv, the Salesforce programmer earns approximately $1400 and in Odessa salary ranges from $1600 to 1800 per month.

Well-experienced senior Salesforce developer earns approximately $2500 per month for his service in Kyiv, while in Lviv the senior level programmer charges about $2200 monthly. In Kharkiv Senior level Salesforce coder would ask for $2000 monthly for his work and in Odessa the specialist with the same level of experience would charge around $2400 per month. 

Scala Developer Salary in Ukraine

Scala development is also priced in accordance with three levels: junior-level work may cost $850-1,400 per month; middle-level work is rated $2,500-3,650 per month, and senior-level specialists usually charge around $6,000.

UI/UX Salary Ukraine

The junior-level UI/UI designers in Ukraine currently offer their services at the rate of $1,000-2,500 per month. Mid-level talent may be hired for $1,500-3,000, while senior-level experts charge $2,500-$3,500 on average.

Unity Developer Salary in Ukraine

Unity developers of junior level price their work at $1000-1500 per month, while middle-level workers rate their work at $2,000-2,500 per month. Monthly salaries for senior-level experts with the knowledge of Unity range from $3,300 to $4,000 per month in Kyiv.

Outsourcing Rates in Ukraine

As one can see, the salaries differ profoundly depending on the experience and project requirements. For instance, a DLT developer may cost your business from $50 to $120.

An average rate of a lead or senior developer in this area is $75 per hour, but if you are looking for an advanced professional with 10+ years of expertise, then be ready to increase the rate.

C# developers typically charge from $30 to $90 per hour, while C++ developers may cost your business more – $35-100 depending on the project’s complexity and the candidate’s professional record ($30 is the typical rate of beginners, while middle-level coders typically charge $50-90 and senior programmers may increase rates up to $100).

The rates of Java programmers and Mobile developers (Android/iOS) are generally within the same range – starting from $15-30 per hour and stretching up to $100.

PHP and Python developers in Ukraine charge $35-120 on average, while QA engineers’ rates are much lower: $10-60 per hour.

If you need a React/Angular, ROR, or Scala developer, be ready to pay around $35-70 per hour.

Unity developers in Ukraine currently charge around $15-50 per hour for their work.

Main Pricing Models for Outsourcing

Before we proceed to analysis of IT salaries in Ukraine, it’s important to take a firm grasp of what type of hiring you plan – whether the recruitment will be done on your own or with the help of a staffing vendor.

Each of the methods has its pros and cons – here are most important ones.

Direct hiring

If you are hiring a developer directly via a freelance platform (like Upwork, Freelancer, etc.)., the payment you will provide to a Ukrainian coder is mostly likely to be calculated per hour.

Hourly rates are traditionally higher than a fixed salary for the project or per month (and don’t forget about the platform’s commission).

Once you hire programmers directly through recruitment websites, then you’ll pay a monthly rate for the agreed amount of work.

The latter option is surely better in terms of cost savings.

Staffing Vendor

Hiring with the help of a vendor may also be priced differently – per hour and per month. Hourly rate is not recommended as each hour you pay for the coder’s work includes the vendor’s service fee. Thus, the more hours they work for you, the higher your commission is.

Another option is the IT staffing cost presupposing a monthly salary to the developer and a fixed vendor service fee. Here are three main pricing models used in the IT outsourcing market in Ukraine:

Salary

It is paid to a programmer hired directly by the client. The major benefits of this model are its transparency, absence of hidden fees and costs. It’s ideal for short-term projects and startups, as the costs are kept at minimum. However, it’s not convenient for clients who don’t want to mess with salary payouts. Such international payments take time and require much documentation, which gets extremely tiresome in case you have no accountant.

Outsourcing rate

Outsourcing companies with working teams usually work on a project basis, and the client pays for the developers’ work per hour. Hourly outsourcing rates in Ukraine include the programmer’s salary and the vendor’s commission, while the exact ratio of coder-vendor payment is usually not clarified.

However, this model still has advantages for the client: instead of hiring only people for the work, the client gets an office in which they work, payment of their employment taxes and other maintenance costs as a service package. The model is convenient for short-term projects or non-core project aspects; such jobs rarely require hiring a person in-house to fire him/her soon afterwards. But for long-term projects, such pricing model is too costly.

IT staffing cost

This pricing model is the most transparent one; moreover, it combines the pluses of the two aforementioned models.

The client knows exactly how much the programmer is paid and how much the vendor charges for the staffing services.

The vendor’s fee traditionally includes:

• Office rental
• Accounting services
• Social package for the staff
• Equipment
• Teambuilding activities and parties
• Taxes.

Speaking about Ukrainian vendor rates, the fee may vary from $700 to $3,000 depending on the rendered services.

Nevertheless, in some cases, the difference between services for $1,000 and $3,000 is insignificant, so we recommend studying the market first and finding a reliable vendor charging a reasonable fee for a broad spectrum of services.

Ukraine Developer Career Path

Steve Jobs once said that “everyone in this country should learn how to program because it teaches you how to think,” and a bunch of talented Ukrainian graduates follows his words every year. The country has around 200,000 IT specialists, and those engaged in software development usually go through certain phases in their professional development. It’s unlikely for the programmer to leapfrog some of the career ladder stages. Everyone goes at one’s own pace, so one specialist might get a promotion within a year, while the other requires more time. There are two major approaches to career development: vertical and horizontal.

Vertical growth

When speaking about the corporate ladder, we are referring to vertical growth. The promotion is usually accompanied by salary rising and additional responsibilities for the employee. 

The time required for transitioning from one position to another, from junior to senior, depends both on the programmer and the company he/she works in. For example, a developer might be working in a small or medium company for 5 years and become a senior-level software engineer. However, if he/she decides to change the company and work in another one in the same position, a new employer might say that the candidate lacks the knowledge to complete the assigned tasks.  

From junior to middle

The position of a junior developer is a starting point for any programmer. Working with a mentor at the beginning of one’s career, a junior developer can grow into the position of a middle-level programmer in 1-2 years. This stage implies handling simple tasks and honing the skills to facilitate one’s professional development.

A middle-level developer is an independent specialist whose tasks don’t have to be controlled by more experienced colleagues. Such a programmer understands what frameworks and libraries to use in which case. When in this position, the specialist is focused not only on one’s code but also on the solutions’ architecture.  

From middle to senior

A senior-level developer is a central specialist in the development team. He/she isn’t just an executor anymore but takes part in coming up with new ideas and projects. One can evaluate the risks and prevent development issues. For these specialists, it’s essential to be motivated by a higher salary and the opportunity to fulfill one’s professional interests, design programs, or manage the teams. 

The opportunities for senior-level developers

A senior programmer position might be an intermediate stage prior to a managerial position or lead to another job in the technical direction.

• Software Architect. This is considered the apex of technological growth for programmers. The responsibilities of this specialist include designing software solutions and setting the tasks for the team members. He/she thinks out the scenarios for the system’s components interaction and selects the technologies for each module. Usually, the senior developers become architects after being in their position for several years because it requires extensive experience and a wide technical outlook. In Ukraine software developer salary varies from $5,000 to $5,400 per month.     
• Team Lead. This position can become a transitional stage from programming to management because it involves managing the team. This employee holds the interviews with candidates and is responsible for their adaptation and training. A team lead’s salary in Ukraine ranges from $4,000 to $4,500 monthly. 
• Project Manager. This specialist spends most of the time communicating with colleagues and clients. If a senior developer wants to apply for this position, he/she has to emphasize obtaining skills from other spheres, like team management, task delegation, and risk management. An average project manager salary in Ukraine is $2,900-$3,400 monthly. 
• Delivery Manager. This is a relatively new role in the IT industry, yet many senior-level programmers are interested in it. A delivery manager has the opportunity to control the project and handle technical issues. One is responsible for all the project’s aspects, including applications’ architecture and other technical questions. A delivery manager salary in Ukraine is $3,500-$4,300 per month. 

Horizontal growth 

The main goal, in this case, is to become an expert in the field of one’s occupation. A developer is engaged in the constant advancement of one’s skills and competencies to become a top-level specialist in a certain sphere. Although horizontal growth does not imply transferring to other positions, it facilitates salary increase. 

• Expert. If the programmer wants to stand out among other professionals, one has to obtain unique knowledge possessed by few specialists. 
• IT-evangelist. The goal of such a programmer is to popularize technologies and share one’s experience with others. 
• IT-consultant. Such a specialist needs to understand how to help the customers choose the optimum solution based on their business interests.  

Pay Difference by Location

If we talk about large Ukrainian cities, like Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Odesa, the average developer salary there ranges between $30,000-$50,000 per year depending on their specialization. As for smaller cities, the situation is rather different. For example, a mid-level JavaScript developer in Poltava receives $27,000 per year, in Chernivtsi — $18,000, and in Vinnytsia — $26,400. Meanwhile, the same specialists in bigger cities make from $27,340 to $34,800 per annum. 

Although there is a shared belief that the highest salaries are in the capitals, this claim doesn’t apply to each technology. In Lviv, for example, a Python developer makes $34,200 per year, while in Kyiv — $32,400. The same goes for JavaScript; in Odesa, such specialists are paid $34,800, and in Kyiv — $31,200. If you are interested in this topic, feel free to check our “Ukraine IT Outsourcing Hubs Guide” to know more. 

Main Factors that Influence the Average Developer Salary in Ukraine

• The place of work. In Ukraine, many acknowledged companies work with international organizations and take part in the development of large products. If we speak about the product and outstaffing companies, they pay almost equal salaries. 

As for outsourcing, all the specialists working in such companies are paid rather less than the previous ones. For example, a senior-level developer working in an outstaffing or product company can make $4,000 per month, in outsourcing — $3,600, and in startups, this number can rise to $4,500.  

• The qualification level. It’s no secret that the more experienced the professional, the higher one’s salary is.  

A junior developer receives a minimum wage and can expect a pay rise in a year or two. At this stage, the professional needs to acquire new experience and prepare for more serious work. The average junior developer is paid $800 per month.  

A middle developer has a certain experience in the IT industry and can handle more challenging tasks than a junior-level specialist. Usually, a mid-developer knows several programming languages and can undertake tasks ranging in complexity. Such a programmer makes around $2,000-$2,500 monthly.

A senior developer is proficient with practically any technology he/she has to use in one’s work. They deal with the most complex tasks and make around $3,000-3,800 per month.  

• The place of living. Usually, the offices of the largest and fast-growing companies are located in big cities. There is a big concentration of human resources in megapolises, so it’s a piece of cake to find a developer specializing in a required technology or programming language. 

However, when the companies decide to outsource their software development services, they consider different destinations depending on their requirements and project complexity. For example, some business owners opt for Ivano-Frankivsk or Chernivtsi instead of Kyiv or Kharkiv. In smaller cities, the salaries of mid-level developers vary from $18,000 to $28,000, while in bigger cities — from $24,000 to $36,000 per annum. 

• The specialization. There is a handful of directions and spheres in which a developer can work. Consequently, there is a gap in the salary depending on the area of occupation. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular specializations:

Data Scientist. This is a specialist in datasets. One’s work helps to enhance the speed and quality of the company’s operations. The average salary is $1,800-$3,000 per month.

Front-end developer. These specialists are responsible for creating everything users see when they open the website page. All the buttons, menus, filters, and blocks are under the responsibility of front-end developers. The average salary is $30,000 per year. You can check more detailed information about these programmers in our recent article. 

Backend-developer. These programmers are engaged in working with the server-side of the website. They make sure the web resource functions smoothly and properly. The average salary is $36,000 per annum.

Full Stack developer. This is a “two in one” specialist because he/she handles the responsibilities of the two developers mentioned above. Since one works in two directions simultaneously, his/her salary is higher, around $3,000-$3,500 annually. 

Web designer. This specialist is responsible for the visual part of the website. Ensuring a convenient and attractive interface is his/her primary goal. A great design can help to attract customers and increase sales. The software developer salary in Ukraine depends on the project’s complexity, but the average wage is $900-$2,500 per month. 

Dynamics Through the Years of the Average Developer Salary in Ukraine

When planning the launch of a new project, it’s crucial to understand the market tendencies and see its leaders. We have decided to gather information from 2015 to 2022 to track key industry trends, opportunities, and threats based on the software developer salary Ukraine. This will help you make a better-informed decision and strategy and understand how to leverage the local talent pool to grow your business.

JavaScript

• Junior JavaScript developers. In December 2011-May 2015, the salaries ranged from $600 to $700. In December 2015, the wages fell to $500 and remained such until December 2017. The most recent data mentions that in December 2020, the junior JavaScript developer salary Ukraine was $678 and currently remains on the same level.  
• Middle JavaScript developers. From May 2011 to May 2015, mid-level JavaScript engineers were paid around $1,450-$1,700 per month. In December 2015, there was a significant rise, up to $1,800, and then the salaries dropped down to $1,500 again. In December 2020, the average salary increased to $2,000. 
• Senior JavaScript developers. From 2011 to 2014, a senior JavaScript programmer’s salary increased by $1,000 per month, namely, from $2,000 to $3,000. Then, it was increasing with each year, rising to $3,800 in December 2020.

Java

• Junior Java developers. The average Java developer salary from 2011 to 2015 was around $625-$800. In December 2015, it decreased to $600 and remained such until December 2017. In June 2018, there was a rise in the wages to $700, and in December 2020, the average junior Java developer was paid $750. 
• Middle Java developers. In December 2013, there was a wage hike, and they raised from $1,600 (in the previous years) to $1,900. In December 2018, there was an increase again, up to $2,000 and to $2,200 in December 2019. As for 2020, the average salary of a mid-level Java developer was $2,225. 
• Senior Java developers. The lowest pay for these developers was in 2011, namely $2,650. Then, it started gradually growing and reached the sum of $3,500 in December 2017. In 2020, there was another increase, which resulted in a monthly salary of $4,000.

Ruby/Ruby on Rails

• Junior Ruby/Rails developers. We can see that during the entire presented timeline, the salary of Ruby/Rails developers Ukraine experienced regular jumps from $500 to $800. In 2019, the salary remained stable all year long, $800, and in 2020, it first dropped to $750 and then $700 per month.
• Middle Ruby/Rails developers. In 2011, a middle Ruby/Rails developer earned $1600, and then, there was a considerable raise in 2012, up to $2,300. It remained around $2,000-$1,950 during the next two years. Next, there was a rapid decrease in 2015, to $1,600, and remained relatively the same until June 2017. However, in December 2017, the salary raised to $2,000 and then to $2,325 in 2020.
• Senior Ruby/Rails developers. The salary of these specialists in Ukraine is associated with a gradual increase, from $2,000 in 2011 to $3,500 in 2015. From December 2016 – June 2017, the salaries dropped to $3,000. However, in December $2017, the developers experienced a significant rise in their wages, namely $3,800. During 2020-2022, senior Ruby/Rails developers’ salary in Ukraine was $4,000. 

QA

• Junior QA engineer. During the presented period, the salary of junior QA engineers in Ukraine ranged from $400 (in 2017) to $600 (in 2012-2014 and 2019-2022).
• Middle QA engineer. Starting from $1100 in 2011, the salary of mid-level QA specialists increased to $1,250 in 2014 and then dropped to $1,100 in 2017. In 2019, there was a considerable wage increase, resulting in $1,500 and then $1,520 in 2022.  
• Senior QA engineer. The salary of these developers went a long way, starting from $1,800 in 2011, then rising to $2,300 in 2014, and reaching its peak in 2022, offering $2,800 per month.  

Managers

• Project manager. In contrast to the previous specialists, whose salaries increased year after year, project managers’ salaries show the opposite dynamics. Namely, in 2011, the average salary was $2,350, and then, there was a rapid decrease, which led to the wage of $1,000 in 2017. Later, the salaries started to expand again but didn’t manage to grow to the previous numbers, being on the level of $1,700 per month. 
• Team lead. These specialists’ wages started from $2,350 in 2011, then grew to $3,000 in 2013, and remained such until 2017. In 2018, there was an increase to $3,100, and in 2020, an average team lead wage was $3,800.
• Senior project manager. You can see the constant increases and decreases in the salary dynamics of senior project managers. For example, in 2011, it was $3,200 per month, then raised to $4,000 in 2013, and then dropped to $3,500 in 2015. In June 2018, the salaries increased again, to $4,000, and in 2020 — to $4,250. 

When looking at the presented dynamics, one can see that the highest software developer Ukraine salary is paid to Ruby/Ruby on Rails developers — $4,000 and senior project managers — $4,250. The average wages of mid-level specialists in the IT industry in 2020 varied from $1,520 (for QA) to $3,800 (for team leads). And the junior-level specialists are paid $400-$750 and $1,700 in the case of project managers. 

Software Developer salary by specialization and programming language in 2022

Specialization

Embedded developers have had the highest average salaries as of winter 2021, namely $1,100 for juniors and $4,200 for seniors. Mobile and Back-end developers have almost equal junior- and middle-level developer salaries, $800 and $2,200 correspondingly. As for Front-end and Full-stack programmers, their wages are also on a similar level. For example, juniors are paid $750 and senior software engineers — $3,600. The average desktop developer salary in Ukraine is $1,750. 

Programming language

The highest-paid programming language in Ukraine is Scala because senior-level developers earn $4,800 per month. Meanwhile, the lowest salaries are for 1C developers, $1,800 per month. When considering junior developers, those specializing in C have the highest salaries, $1,100 per month. Also, Go programmers have high mid-level and senior salaries, namely $2,500 and $4,400 correspondingly. These are a couple of hundred dollars more compared to other programming languages on the list. 

How is developer salary presented in Ukraine? (net/gross)

Usually, when talking about salaries, Ukrainian developers refer to net salary, namely, their “take-home pay.” They mention it instead of gross because most of the local IT companies pay taxes for their employees. Thus, the developers don’t have to allocate certain sums of money for paying taxes at the end of the month. So, they can plan their budgets more effectively.    

Besides, there are voluntary deductions from gross pay, for example, for the employee’s health plan, flexible savings account, or health savings account. The employee can choose one of them based on what one’s company offers. The person determines the amount of these deductions and understands that the money is placed in a separate account, which can be accessed only under certain circumstances. 

Employee Benefits Offered by Leading Tech Companies

Some developers consider different kinds of insurances, vacations abroad, and paid sporting activities a must. Meanwhile, others are happy to be offered even some of the most simple ones, like a flexible schedule. It isn’t easy to please everybody, so the organizations try to consider the employees’ ideas and wishes to come up with the benefits that will meet most of the requirements. Although the benefits differ from company to company, there is a set of certain bonuses provided by almost any Ukrainian IT company. According to the research conducted by DOU, it includes the following:

• Flexible schedule (pointed out by 68% of the respondents);
• corporate events (66%);
• compensation of educational courses (42%);
• rest areas in the office (41%);
• medical insurance (37%);
• corporate presents (28,9%).

Some of the bonuses provided by the employers and desired by the employees differ. For example, 40% of the specialists want to receive cash bonuses or other tangible bonuses, 33% mention the compensation of sports activities, and 30% emphasize meal allowances.

Outsourcing companies provide benefits for their employees more often than other companies. Also, the distribution of benefits depends on the employee’s level of qualification. Team leaders and senior-level developers get some of the most attractive benefits, while juniors often say the company doesn’t provide any bonuses for them. 

Average Software Pay vs Other Jobs

We have decided to compare the salaries of some of the most significant roles in the tech companies with software developers’ ones. 

• As you can see, the average software developer salary in Ukraine is $2,500 per month. 
• An affiliate manager, a person who manages an online affiliate program on behalf of an advertiser and drives traffic to the business, is paid around $1,500 per month.
• As for the PR manager who creates and maintains a favorable public image for the company, one usually makes approximately $1,300 monthly. 
• A targeting specialist is another valuable person in the company because he/she is responsible for finding the right audience for the company’s ads and ensures the users meet the required criteria. Such a specialist is paid around $1,200 each month.
• SEO specialist responsible for analyzing, reviewing, and changing websites in order to optimize them for search engines receives a salary of $1,000 per month.
• SMM specialist makes sure your company has well-established visibility on social media by obtaining traffic and raising brand awareness online. The average salary of such a specialist is $900 monthly.

These are just some of the positions to provide insight into the usual expenditures of business owners in Ukraine. Your project might not require exactly these specialists, but, say, a business analyst, copywriter, sales manager, or data scientist, and their salaries will also differ from the mentioned ones. However, you can be sure that the mid-level non-tech specialists’ wages are approximately on the same level, around $800-$2,000 per month. 

Here you can find the information about salaries in 2019 year to compare

Angular/React

Developers with a junior level of proficiency in React/JS charge $500-1,000 per month for their work.

A middle-level expert in this field may cost you around $1,500-2,800, whole senior-level work starts from $3,000 per month.

ASP.NET

Junior-level programmers specializing in ASP.NET currently charge from $800 to $1,200 per month of their work in Ukraine, while middle-level rates reach $2,000-$3,000 per month.

If you need a senior-level expert for an ASP.NET project, be ready to spend $3,500 and more per month.

C#

In Kyiv, a junior C# developer receives on average $1,000-$1,500 per month, while in Odesa, they receive around $900 per month.

In Kharkiv, specialists of this level charge $950 per month on average, and in Lviv, the rates range within $980 in Lviv.

Middle-level C# developers charge $2,000-3,500 in Kyiv, $2,000 in Odesa, $1,950 in Kharkiv, and $2,200 in Lviv.
When it comes to senior-level coders, clients should be ready to pay $3,800+ to candidates in Kyiv, $3,468 in Odesa, and $3,600 in Lviv.

C++

Junior C++ developers charge $800-$1,200 in Kyiv, $900 in Kharkiv, with developers in Odesa and Lviv charging less on average.

Middle-level coders will cost a company $2,000-2,800 when hiring in Kyiv, $2,000 is the candidate in Kharkiv.

As for senior-level specialists, the salary starts from $3,000 in Kyiv and $3,500 in Kharkiv.

DevOps

DevOps is the specialization enjoying increasing popularity; Ukrainian beginners in this professional area charge $900-$1,300 for their services, while middle-level talent already costs $1,500-2,500 per month.

In case you need a seasoned senior-level professional to the team, he/she is likely to charge from $3,000 per month.

Distributed Ledger Technology

A demanded profession now, DLT development costs a pretty penny.

While no data is available for junior-level coders, middle-level blockchain specialists charge $2,000-3,000 on average, while senior-level experts may cost your company from $4,000 per month (data relevant for Kyiv).

Java

Junior Java developers charge $800-1,200 in Kyiv, $725 in Lviv, and $755 in Kharkiv.

Middle-level experts in Java may cost your company $2,000-$2,800 in Kyiv, $1,925 in Kharkiv, and $2,100 in Lviv.

Senior-level expertise in Java development starts at the rate of $3,000 in Kyiv.

Game Balancer

If you are in need of game balancers, be ready to pay $1,000-1,500 for a middle-level specialist and starts from $2,000 for a senior-level expert in your team.

Game Producer

Game producers of middle level charge the rate of $1,500-2,000 per month, while senior-level producers are available from $3,000 per month.

Mobile Development (Android/iOS)

Mobile development for Android and iOS is generally charged on an equal rate in Kyiv.

Here, you can hire a junior developer for $500-900 a month, while middle-level experts may cost you $1,200-2,000.

Senior-level programmers in this field charges from $2,500 per month.

Node.js

The rates of junior-level Node.js coders in Ukraine generally range from $1,000 to $1,500, while middle-level experts charge higher, $2,000-3,000 per month on average.

Senior-level talent may cost your company from $3,500 per month.

PHP

PHP developers’ rates range from $500-1,000 for a junior-level project to $1,500-2,500 for middle-level specialists and $3,000+ for senior-level experts.

Python

The pricing for services of Python developers is generally in line with that of PHP coders.

Junior-level specialists charge around $500-1,000 for their services, and middle-level coders want $1,200-2,500 for their monthly work.

A senior-level Python developer will cost your business $3,000 at minimum, while some professionals charge up to $5,000 per month.

QA

QA jobs differ by auto and manual tasks.

A junior Automation QA charges $1,000-$1,500, while a QA specialist of the same level for manual tasks rates the work at $400-800 per month.

Middle-level Automation QA testers charge $2,000-2,500, and manual QA of senior level may cost you around $1,000-2,000.

Senior-level QA testers salary starts at $3,000 for auto work and $2,500 for manual testing. The statistics are relevant for Kyiv, while in other tech hubs in Ukraine, rates may be slightly lower.

Ruby on Rails

RoR developers charge $800-1,500 for junior-level tasks, while middle-level specialists have higher rates equaling $2,000-3,000.

The senior-level RoR specialist starts at $3,500.

Scala

Scala development is also priced in accordance with three levels: junior-level work may cost $1,000-1,500 per month; middle-level work is rated $2,000-3,500 per month, and senior-level specialists usually charge around $4,000.

UI/UX

The junior-level UI/UI designers in Ukraine currently offer their services at the rate of $500-900 per month.

Mid-level talent may be hired for $1,000-1,800, while senior-level experts charge $2,500-$3,000 on average.

Unity

Unity developers of junior level price their work at $500-900 per month, while middle-level workers rate their work at $1,500-2,000 per month.

Monthly salaries for senior-level experts with the knowledge of Unity range from $2,500 to $4,000 per month in Kyiv.

Though the data is research-based, please note that the indicated figures are net salaries, and they may vary within a reasonable range depending on the region, tech stack, and other individual characteristics of coders for hire.

In the broadest sense, software developer rates in Ukraine depend on the following variables:

Tech stack

We understand the expertise that a coder possesses in terms of programming languages, frameworks, and tools when speaking about his/her tech stack.

For instance, you are looking for a coder with a solid background in CSS and HTML who is able to code in JS and C++.

Some popular tech stacks are MEAN (including MongoDB, Express, Angular, and Node.js), LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) and MAMP (macOS, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python).

Seniority level

Depending on the coder’s seniority, experts generally distinguish three levels:

• Junior developer: a candidate with 0-2 years of experience (usually inexperienced, probably a graduate from college or working on his/her first software development projects).
• Middle Developer: a candidate with 2-5 years of experience (can operate independently and solve targeted technical problems, possessing strengths in one or more technical areas).
• Senior developer: a candidate with 5+ years of experience (an experienced professional with a strategic, lean approach to software development and problem-solving).

Region

Overall, IT salaries in Ukrainian cities don’t differ profoundly, and you won’t save much by looking for a coder in a smaller city.

Besides, it may be challenging to find a reliable staffing vendor in small cities; that’s why it is more appropriate to focus on major IT hubs such as Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.

Kyiv

Kyiv is the Ukrainian capital, so foreign clients find it most convenient to hire programmers here.

The supply of staffing vendors and talented programmers is abundant, new modern technologies are quickly adopted by specialists, and arrangement of business trips to Kyiv is very simple. For these reasons, it’s very easy to close the vacancies quickly and within the budget.

Lviv

Lviv is a large urban center located in the Western part of Ukraine; it is considered the Ukrainian “capital of culture.”

Only within a couple of decades, Lviv has also developed as one of the Ukrainian tech hubs with over 200 tech companies and over 20,000 developers now offering their services here.

Kharkiv

The second largest Ukrainian city and the educational hub in Ukraine, Kharkiv boasts a vibrant tech community.

Numerous higher educational establishments provide modern, competitive education; multiple specialized conferences take place here; and 6 IT outsourcing companies with 400+ employees offer their services there.

Odesa

Odesa is a southern city boasting the presence of over 74 large IT companies, R&D centers, startups, and other providers of related services.

As of today, over 8,000 specialists are employed in home and outsourced development projects, which constitutes around 5.5% of Ukrainian labor force. The number constantly changes with 1,000 new tech graduates entering the IT field every year.

So, how much does a software engineer make in Ukraine with the aforementioned variables in mind? Here is the detailed breakdown by technology, city, and seniority level.

Outsourcing Rates in Ukraine

Ukrainian outsourcing rates are presented as hourly rates because of the hiring model’s peculiarities.

As we mentioned it above, the present model is suitable for short-term projects that are calculated with an average estimate of 21 working day (168 hours) a month.

The information in the table below is based on the rates provided on Upwork.

As one can see, the salaries differ profoundly depending on the experience and project requirements.

For instance, a DLT developer may cost your business from $20 to $120.

An average rate of a lead or senior developer in this area is $45 per hour, but if you are looking for an advanced professional with 10+ years of expertise, then be ready to double the rate.

C# developers typically charge from $15 to $50 per hour, while C++ developers may cost your business more – $10-100 depending on the project’s complexity and the candidate’s professional record ($10 is the typical rate of beginners, while middle-level coders typically charge $40-60 and senior programmers may increase rates up to $100).

The rates of Java programmers and Mobile developers (Android/iOS) are generally within the same range – starting from $20-25 per hour and stretching up to $65-70.

PHP and Python developers in Ukraine charge $20-80 on average, while QA engineers’ rates are much lower: $13-30 per hour.

If you need a React/Angular, ROR, or Scala developer, be ready to pay around $25-70 per hour.

Unity developers in Ukraine currently charge around $15-45 per hour of their work.

Conclusion

Here’s a snapshot of IT salaries in Ukraine, with a detailed breakdown of Ukrainian software developer rates by seniority, location, and technology required by the employer.

Study this data carefully, analyze your project needs, and start the hiring process with these peculiarities in mind.

If you find it cumbersome or hard to conduct direct hire, contact the managers of Qubit Labs for a quick, affordable, and effective candidate search based on your project requirements.