What a developer relocation package actually includes (and what to ask for)

There's a particular kind of silence that falls over a job interview when a developer finally asks about the relocation package. It's the silence of someone who has been waiting to ask the question for forty-five minutes, who has rehearsed it three times in their head, and who is now slightly terrified that the answer will be disappointing. Usually, it is — not because the package is bad, but because neither side knows exactly what they're negotiating.

Relocation packages for developers have become a standard fixture of European tech hiring, especially as remote-first culture has normalized the idea of living and working in different countries. But the gap between what companies advertise ("we support relocation!") and what they actually provide is often significant. Some packages are genuinely comprehensive. Others are a reimbursement form and a good-luck handshake. Knowing the difference before you sign a contract is the kind of information that can save you thousands of euros and months of bureaucratic stress.

This is what we've learned at Lasting Dynamics after relocating developers from Italy, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Portugal to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria — what's standard, what's negotiable, and what most candidates forget to ask.

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The three tiers every developer should understand

Not all relocation packages are built the same, and the industry has quietly converged on three rough tiers that most offers fall into. Understanding which tier you're being offered — and which tier you should be asking for — is the first step in any relocation negotiation.

The first tier is what we call the "reimbursement model." The company agrees to reimburse documented moving expenses up to a fixed ceiling, typically between €1,500 and €3,000. You pay upfront, you collect receipts, you submit them, and you get money back within thirty to sixty days. This model is common at smaller companies and startups that want to offer relocation support without building an internal process around it. It's better than nothing, but it places the financial burden entirely on the candidate during the most cash-intensive period of their life.

The second tier is the "structured support model," which is what most mid-size European tech companies offer. This typically includes a one-time relocation bonus (paid as part of the first salary or shortly before the move), help finding temporary accommodation for the first two to four weeks, and some form of administrative support for bureaucratic tasks like registering with local authorities or opening a bank account. The relocation bonus usually ranges from €3,000 to €6,000 gross, which after taxes in most European countries lands between €1,800 and €4,000 net — enough to cover the move itself but not much more.

The third tier is full-service relocation, more common at large tech companies, scale-ups with dedicated HR teams, or companies that relocate internationally at significant volume. This includes everything in tier two plus a dedicated relocation coordinator, assistance with finding permanent housing (sometimes including a housing subsidy for the first six to twelve months), legal support for visa and residency applications, and in some cases spousal or partner support for job placement. If you're moving with a family, this is the tier you should be pushing for — and it's more achievable than most candidates realize, especially if you're a senior engineer with specific skills.

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What "administrative support" actually means

This is where the gap between promise and reality is widest. Almost every relocation package mentions "administrative support" or "help with bureaucracy," and almost every developer who has relocated has a story about what that support actually looked like in practice.

At its best, administrative support means the company has a relationship with a local relocation agency or a bilingual HR contact who can walk you through the specific steps required in your destination country — registering your address, obtaining a tax identification number, enrolling in the public health system, opening a bank account. These things sound simple but can consume weeks of your life if you're navigating them in a foreign language without guidance. In Spain, for example, the NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) is required for almost every official transaction, but obtaining one involves a specific appointment system that confuses even experienced expats.

At its worst, "administrative support" is a PDF with a list of government websites and a note that HR is available for questions. This is not support — it's a disclaimer. If you're evaluating an offer and the company can't tell you concretely who will help you with your NIE, your Padrón registration, and your bank account setup, that's a signal worth taking seriously.

When we onboard developers at Lasting Dynamics, we assign each person a dedicated contact — someone who has personally been through the Spanish bureaucratic process and can accompany them, either physically or remotely, through each step. It's a small thing operationally, but it's the difference between a developer who feels supported in their first month and one who spends their evenings in a spiral of untranslated government forms.

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The housing question: temporary vs. permanent

Housing is where relocation packages vary most dramatically, and where the stakes are highest. The first few weeks in a new city are a period of enormous cognitive load — you're starting a new job, learning a new environment, and trying to make decisions about where to live without the local knowledge that would make those decisions sensible. Companies that understand this provide temporary housing as a bridge; companies that don't leave developers to figure it out on Airbnb at their own expense.

Temporary accommodation — typically a furnished apartment for two to four weeks — is increasingly standard in mid-size and larger packages. What matters is not just that it exists, but where it is. A temporary apartment in an inconvenient neighborhood, far from the office or public transport, adds stress rather than reducing it. Ask specifically where the accommodation is located and whether it's furnished to a standard that allows you to function as a working adult from day one.

Permanent housing support is less common but worth asking about. Some companies maintain relationships with local real estate agencies and can make introductions; others offer a housing subsidy for the first six months (typically €200–€500/month) to offset the premium of a furnished apartment while you search for something permanent. If you're moving to a city with a tight rental market — and Las Palmas, like Lisbon and Barcelona before it, is increasingly in that category — this kind of support has real financial value.

One thing most developers don't think to ask: what happens if the housing situation doesn't work out? If the temporary apartment falls through, or if you arrive and discover the neighborhood isn't what you expected, does the company have a contingency? The answer to this question tells you a lot about how much operational thought has gone into the relocation process.

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The financial reality: what a move actually costs

Let's be specific, because vagueness here is what leads to unpleasant surprises. Moving from another European country to a city like Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, assuming you're moving as a single person with a moderate amount of belongings, costs roughly:

A professional moving company for a one-bedroom apartment worth of belongings: €800–€2,500 depending on origin city and volume. Flights and initial travel: €200–€600. First month in temporary accommodation (if not covered by the company): €1,200–€2,000. Deposit on a permanent apartment (typically one to two months' rent): €1,400–€2,800. Bureaucratic costs (NIE appointment, notary fees if needed, bank account setup): €100–€300. Miscellaneous setup costs (SIM card, basic household items, transport card): €200–€400.

Total: roughly €4,000–€8,600 for a single person, before any ongoing monthly costs. For a couple or a family, double most of those figures and add school enrollment costs if children are involved.

A relocation bonus of €3,000 net covers the lower end of this range for a single person. A bonus of €5,000–€6,000 net covers it comfortably. If a company is offering €1,500 gross and calling it a relocation package, you are being asked to subsidize your own move — which is worth factoring into your total compensation calculation.

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What to negotiate, and how to ask

Most developers significantly underestimate their negotiating power on relocation packages, for the simple reason that they're already excited about the job and don't want to seem difficult. This is a mistake. Companies that have decided to hire you have already invested significant time and money in the process; the cost of losing you over a relocation negotiation is almost always higher than the cost of improving the package.

The most effective approach is to be specific rather than demanding. Instead of "can you increase the relocation bonus," try "I've estimated my move will cost approximately €6,000 — is there flexibility to align the package with that?" This frames the conversation as a practical problem-solving exercise rather than a salary negotiation, and it signals that you've done your homework.

Beyond the bonus itself, the things most worth negotiating are: the timeline of payment (before the move, not after — you need cash when you're packing boxes, not six weeks later); temporary housing duration (push for four weeks if they're offering two); and administrative support specificity (ask for a named contact, not a generic "HR team"). These cost the company relatively little but make an enormous difference to your experience.

If you're a senior engineer or a specialist in a high-demand stack, you have more leverage than you think. The European tech market in 2025 and 2026 is competitive for experienced backend engineers, data architects, and DevOps specialists. Companies know this. Use it.

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The questions nobody asks (but should)

After years of relocating developers, we've noticed a pattern in the questions candidates ask — and the ones they consistently forget. The standard questions (how much is the bonus, is housing included, will you help with bureaucracy) are all important. But the questions that reveal the most about a company's actual commitment to your relocation are the ones that go one level deeper.

Ask what percentage of relocated developers are still with the company after two years. Relocation is a significant investment for both sides; a company that has thought seriously about retention will have an answer. Ask whether there's a community of other relocated employees you can connect with before you arrive — not just a welcome email, but actual people who've been through the same process and can answer the questions that don't appear in any FAQ. Ask what happens to the relocation support if your role changes significantly in the first year — if you're hired as a senior engineer and promoted to tech lead, does the company's support infrastructure scale with you?

And finally, ask what the company has learned from relocations that didn't go well. Every company that relocates people at any volume has had a move that was harder than expected. How they answer this question — whether they're honest about the friction points, whether they've adjusted their process as a result — tells you more about their organizational culture than any amount of glassdoor reviews.

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Relocation as a signal, not just a benefit

There's a tendency to treat the relocation package as a line item in an offer letter — something to optimize before signing and then forget. But the way a company handles relocation is actually a remarkably accurate signal of how it handles everything else. A company that has invested in a thoughtful, well-resourced relocation process has almost certainly invested the same care in its onboarding, its engineering culture, and its approach to employee development. A company that throws a reimbursement ceiling at you and wishes you luck has probably taken the same approach to its performance review process.

At Lasting Dynamics, we've made the relocation experience a deliberate part of how we introduce ourselves to new team members. The first weeks in a new city are disorienting enough without the added stress of navigating bureaucracy alone; our job is to remove that friction so that developers can focus on what they're actually here to do. That means a structured process, a real human contact, and a genuine answer to every question — including the ones that feel too basic to ask.

If you're evaluating a developer role in Europe and relocation is part of the picture, you deserve a package that reflects the real cost and complexity of the move. Don't settle for less than that — and don't be afraid to ask for it specifically.

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Interested in joining Lasting Dynamics in Las Palmas? See open positions and find out what our relocation support actually looks like — in practice, not just on paper.