The 5 Countries in Eastern Europe You Should Be Hiring From (Ranked)

Not all Eastern European countries are equal. Here’s our ranking based on skill, cost, and ease of hiring.

#1: Ukraine 

Best For: Tech, Dev, Operations, Customer Support.

Avg. Salaries:

• Developer: $30K–$50K/year
• Marketer: $20K–$35K/year
• Customer Support: $12K–$20K/year

Why? Massive tech pool (200K+ developers), high English proficiency in IT, strong work ethic.

#2: Poland 

Best For: Finance, HR, High-Level Execs (CFOs, COOs).

Avg. Salaries:

• CFO (Fractional): $40K–$60K/year
• HR Manager: $25K–$40K/year
• Executive Assistant: $18K–$30K/year

Why? Westernized culture, strong education system, lowest turnover in region.

#3: Romania

Best For: Customer Support, Content, Design.

Avg. Salaries:

• Customer Support Rep: $15K–$25K/year
• Graphic Designer: $20K–$35K/year
• Content Manager: $22K–$38K/year

Why? Near-native English, creative talent, favourable overlap with U.S. time zones.

#4: Serbia

Best For: Developers, QA, IT Support.

Avg. Salaries:

• Full-Stack Dev: $28K–$45K/year
• QA Engineer: $20K–$35K/year
• IT Support: $15K–$25K/year

Why? Strong tech education, lower costs than Ukraine/Poland, government incentives for tech workers.

#5: Bulgaria 

Best For: Finance, Analytics, Back-Office Roles.

Avg. Salaries:

• Financial Analyst: $25K–$40K/year
• Data Entry Specialist: $12K–$20K/year
• Bookkeeper: $15K–$25K/year

Why? Lowest salaries in region, strong math/analytics skills, stable infrastructure.

The 3 Biggest Objections to Hiring in Eastern Europe (And Why They’re Wrong)

Objection #1: “But the Philippines/India is Cheaper!”

Reality: Cheaper ≠ better value.

Example: A U.S. SaaS company hired a $12K/year dev from India. Result: 6 months of training (≈$15K lost productivity) and they left after 1 year. If they’d hired a $30K/year dev from Ukraine: onboarded in 2 weeks and still with the company 3 years later.

True Cost Comparison (2 years)

Winner: Eastern Europe saves you $17K over 2 years.

Objection #2: “What About the War in Ukraine?”

Reality: Ukrainian talent is more reliable than ever — here’s why:

• Remote work is the norm — Ukrainians have been working remotely for years; infrastructure and backup solutions (Starlink, generators) are widely used.
• Higher commitment — remote roles are valued and turnover has decreased.
• Better time zones for U.S. companies (Kyiv is ~+7h EST vs. +12h for Manila).

If still nervous: hire from Poland or Romania, or work with a vetted agency (like Hire Virtuals).

Objection #3: “Won’t Language/Culture Be a Problem?”

Reality: Eastern Europe tends to have higher English fluency than many alternatives.

Pro tip: Test English with a short writing sample (e.g., “Draft a customer email for [scenario]”) and ask culture-fit questions about handling customers and remote productivity.

How to Hire in Eastern Europe (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Define the Role (Be Specific)

Bad: “Looking for a marketer. Must be good at social media.”

Good: Example job post below:

Remote Marketing Manager (E-Commerce)
Salary: $25K–$35K/year
Time Zone: Must overlap 3+ hours with EST
Responsibilities:
- Manage Facebook/Google Ads ($20K/mo budget)
- Write 3 blog posts/week (SEO-optimized)
- Run weekly A/B tests (email, landing pages)
Requirements:
- 3+ years in e-commerce marketing
- Proven ROI (show past campaigns)
- Fluent English (writing samples required)
Bonus: Experience with Klaviyo, Shopify, Google Analytics

Step 2: Where to Find Top Talent

Pro Tip: Avoid generic job boards like Indeed — use niche platforms for Eastern Europe.

Step 3: The Interview Process (How to Spot A-Players)

• Round 1: Skills Test — real challenge (coding bug, campaign audit, support simulation). Eliminates ~80%.
• Round 2: Culture Fit — behavior questions that reveal ownership and remote habits.
• Round 3: Trial Project — paid 5–10 hour real work trial; hire if they deliver.

Step 4: Onboarding (The Make-or-Break Step)

Do this right:

• Create a “First Week” doc with day-by-day tasks.
• Assign a buddy to answer questions.
• Use Loom for short training videos and a Notion wiki for SOPs.

Example result: An EA onboarded in 3 days and fully independent in 2 weeks using Notion + Loom + a buddy.

Step 5: Retention (How to Keep Them Long-Term)

Eastern European talent stays 3x longer than Asian hires — if you treat them right.

1. ✅ Pay on time (Wise, Payoneer)
2. ✅ Clear growth paths (promotions, leadership roles)
3. ✅ Recognize wins and offer bonuses
4. ❌ Avoid micromanaging, unclear expectations, ignoring time zones

Eastern Europe = Better Talent, Lower Cost, Less Stress

If you’re still hiring locally or in Asia, you’re:

1. ❌ Overpaying by 40–60%
2. ❌ Wasting time on training/rehiring
3. ❌ Missing out on top-tier talent

The smartest founders — the ones scaling fast without burning out — are already hiring in Eastern Europe.

Your move.