Skilled · High demand
Cook / Chef jobs in Europe
Hospitality shortage across tourism economies — line cooks and specialist (incl. South-Asian) chefs are widely recruited.
Best: 🇨🇭 Switzerland€2,440/mo top saving40 countries
Estimates last reviewedJune 22, 2026Indicative monthly figures in EUR · confirm pay & visa rules with the official source.
Best savings
🇨🇭 Switzerland · €2,440/mo
Demand
High
Certificates
Experience in the relevant cuisine; food-hygiene certification often required locally.
Language
Kitchen-level local language or English; menu and ordering terms matter.
Salary & savings by country
40 countries| Country | Gross /mo | Net /mo | Living cost | Savings (housed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SwitzerlandNon-EU | €3,950 | €3,080 | €640 | €2,440 |
| NorwayNon-EU | €3,600 | €2,590 | €600 | €1,990 |
| IcelandNon-EU | €3,400 | €2,520 | €620 | €1,900 |
| LuxembourgEU · Schengen | €3,250 | €2,280 | €540 | €1,740 |
| DenmarkEU · Schengen | €3,600 | €2,230 | €580 | €1,650 |
| SwedenEU · Schengen | €3,050 | €2,140 | €520 | €1,620 |
| FinlandEU · Schengen | €2,900 | €1,970 | €490 | €1,480 |
| IrelandEU · Schengen | €2,800 | €1,960 | €520 | €1,440 |
| United KingdomNon-EU | €2,700 | €1,940 | €500 | €1,440 |
| NetherlandsEU · Schengen | €2,700 | €1,780 | €490 | €1,290 |
| AustriaEU · Schengen | €2,600 | €1,720 | €460 | €1,260 |
| GermanyEU · Schengen | €2,700 | €1,700 | €460 | €1,240 |
| FranceEU · Schengen | €2,500 | €1,650 | €460 | €1,190 |
| BelgiumEU · Schengen | €2,600 | €1,610 | €460 | €1,150 |
| SpainEU · Schengen | €2,000 | €1,500 | €400 | €1,100 |
| ItalyEU · Schengen | €2,100 | €1,510 | €440 | €1,070 |
| PortugalEU · Schengen | €1,800 | €1,400 | €390 | €1,010 |
| MaltaEU · Schengen | €1,900 | €1,440 | €450 | €990 |
| CyprusEU · Schengen | €1,800 | €1,400 | €420 | €980 |
| EstoniaEU · Schengen | €1,800 | €1,370 | €400 | €970 |
| CzechiaEU · Schengen | €1,800 | €1,330 | €400 | €930 |
| PolandEU · Schengen | €1,700 | €1,260 | €340 | €920 |
| SloveniaEU · Schengen | €2,000 | €1,320 | €420 | €900 |
| LithuaniaEU · Schengen | €1,700 | €1,190 | €350 | €840 |
| BulgariaEU · Schengen | €1,450 | €1,130 | €290 | €840 |
| CroatiaEU · Schengen | €1,600 | €1,180 | €350 | €830 |
| GreeceEU · Schengen | €1,700 | €1,220 | €390 | €830 |
| SlovakiaEU · Schengen | €1,600 | €1,170 | €350 | €820 |
| LatviaEU · Schengen | €1,600 | €1,150 | €360 | €790 |
| HungaryEU · Schengen | €1,550 | €1,040 | €320 | €720 |
| TurkeyNon-EU | €1,350 | €1,050 | €340 | €710 |
| MontenegroNon-EU | €1,250 | €980 | €290 | €690 |
| RomaniaEU · Schengen | €1,550 | €960 | €310 | €650 |
| SerbiaNon-EU | €1,250 | €930 | €280 | €650 |
| KosovoNon-EU | €1,100 | €880 | €230 | €650 |
| AlbaniaNon-EU | €1,100 | €860 | €230 | €630 |
| GeorgiaNon-EU | €1,100 | €880 | €250 | €630 |
| Bosnia and HerzegovinaNon-EU | €1,150 | €870 | €250 | €620 |
| North MacedoniaNon-EU | €1,150 | €840 | €250 | €590 |
| MoldovaNon-EU | €1,000 | €780 | €230 | €550 |
Ranked by realistic monthly savings assuming employer-provided accommodation. “Living cost” here is food + transport only. A cook / chef who pays their own rent should subtract local accommodation from each row.
Indicative estimates, not a job offer. Salary, cost and savings figures are modelled from each occupation's rough EU average and a per-country wage index, and exclude employer-specific terms, exchange-rate swings and personal tax. Visa rules are summarised for general guidance. Always confirm pay and immigration rules with the official source or embassy, and never pay a fee for a job offer you have not verified.