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Job Offer Evaluator

Beyond the number. Compare up to 4 offers — net pay after PAYE, equity valuation, 5-year career projection, relocation break-even, and a counter-offer negotiation script.

Up to 4 Offers Equity / ESOP 5-Year Projection Counter-Offer Script Culture Score Relocation Calculator
Tax is a simplified estimate. Use our PAYE calculators for exact figures.

Rate each offer on 7 dimensions (1 = poor, 10 = excellent). The culture score is weighted and shown out of 100. Use the slider below to see how much a culture score difference is worth to you in salary.

Culture Premium Slider

How much monthly salary is a 10-point culture score improvement worth to you?

Counter-Offer Simulator

Enter the offer you received and the amount you want to counter at. We'll generate a negotiation script and probability assessment.

Counter is
Negotiation Script
Walk-Away Line

How to Evaluate a Job Offer in Africa

Choosing between job offers is one of the most consequential financial decisions you'll make. In African job markets — where significant pay comes through allowances, benefits, and equity — comparing on gross salary alone is deeply misleading. Two offers with identical gross salaries can differ by 30–50% in total compensation once you account for housing, transport, health insurance, pension, equity, and commute costs.

Net pay after PAYE and pension deductions is the starting point. Then monetise benefits: employer pension contributions, health insurance (worth ₦30,000–₦100,000/month in Nigeria), housing and transport allowances, and expected bonuses. Subtract commute costs — in Lagos or Nairobi, commuting can cost ₦30,000–₦60,000/month. Finally, look beyond year one: a startup at 60% of a bank salary may be worth more in 5 years through equity upside and salary acceleration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I always take the higher salary?

Not necessarily. Total compensation (salary + benefits + equity - commute costs) is what matters. A lower gross salary with better health insurance, housing, pension, remote flexibility, and equity can be worth significantly more. Also consider the 5-year trajectory — a startup at lower base pay may triple your earnings if it succeeds.

How do I value startup equity in Africa?

African startup equity carries higher binary risk than Silicon Valley options — most African startups either get acquired or shut down rather than IPO. Use the probability-weighted model: assume ~40% chance of zero, ~35% of a modest $5-10M exit, ~20% of a $50M exit, and ~5% of $100M+. Calculate what your options are worth in each scenario, multiply by the probability, and compare the expected value to a cash signing bonus from an alternative offer.

How do I counter a job offer without being aggressive?

Use market data, competing offers, or your unique value as justification. Avoid personal reasons ("I need more money"). Frame it as: "Based on market benchmarks for [role] in [city], and my [X years / specific skill], I'm targeting [amount]. Is there flexibility there?" Always express genuine enthusiasm for the role first — you're negotiating because you want to make it work, not because you're looking for an exit.

What is the real value of remote work?

Remote work saves commute costs (₦15,000–₦60,000/month in Lagos), wardrobe, and daily meals — effectively adding ₦50,000–₦150,000/month in Lagos. Beyond money, it gives back 2-3 hours daily and reduces stress. Factor it into your total compensation as a real cash equivalent when comparing offers.

How important is the 13th month salary?

A guaranteed 13th month adds 8.3% to annual compensation and is standard in many Nigerian corporates and legally mandated in some sectors. Always clarify whether any stated bonus is guaranteed or performance-based — a "20% annual bonus" that requires exceptional performance is worth far less than a guaranteed 13th month.

How do I calculate relocation break-even?

Add up: one-way flights + freight, first month's rent deposit in the new city, settling-in costs (furniture, connection fees), and temporary accommodation. Divide by your monthly salary increase. If break-even is under 12 months, relocation is generally financially worthwhile — beyond 24 months, be cautious unless non-financial factors strongly favour the move.

Method and checks

This MVP compares written offer terms across salary, estimated net pay, allowances, benefits, pension, commute cost, remote value, leave, equity, relocation, deadline pressure, culture inputs, and five-year trajectory. Use the decision summary as a private worksheet before accepting, declining, or negotiating.

Verify net pay assumptions, benefits, bonus rules, probation terms, equity vesting and exercise terms, relocation support, notice period, non-compete clauses, work-permit needs, and offer deadlines against the signed offer pack. This is career planning support, not legal, tax, immigration, financial, employment, union, or HR policy advice.

How it works — methodology & sources

Updated for 2026. Here is exactly how each offer is scored, the assumptions behind it, and what to verify before you rely on it.

Methodology & assumptions
Offers are ranked by total monthly compensation, not gross salary. We calculate net pay by applying a simplified effective-tax rate for the country you select (for example roughly 20% for Nigeria, 22% for Kenya, 25% for South Africa) to the gross salary, then add the cash value of benefits — transport and housing allowances, health insurance, employer pension, gym, and the annualised bonus or guaranteed 13th month — and subtract commute cost, while crediting the cash-equivalent value of remote days. The 5-year projection applies a growth rate based on the company-type profile you choose (e.g. corporate vs startup) to model the salary trajectory. Equity is valued with a probability-weighted expected value across exit scenarios (your options as a share of fully-diluted shares × valuation, net of strike price, weighted by outcome likelihood). The culture score weights seven 1–10 ratings into a score out of 100, and the counter-offer simulator expresses your counter as a percentage above the offer and maps it to a likelihood band. All tax figures are deliberately simplified assumptions.
Limitations & what to verify
This is career-planning support and a private worksheet — it is an estimate only and does not replace legal, tax, immigration, financial, or employment advice. The net-pay figure uses a single flat effective-tax rate per country and ignores PAYE bands, reliefs, pension caps, and local levies; for exact take-home pay use a dedicated PAYE calculator. Equity outcomes are illustrative scenarios, not forecasts. Before accepting, declining, or negotiating, verify the written net-pay assumptions, benefits, bonus rules, probation terms, equity vesting and exercise terms, relocation support, notice period, non-compete clauses, work-permit needs, and offer deadline against the signed offer pack.
Sources & references
Effective-tax assumptions reference each country's published PAYE framework — for example the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Nigeria) ↗, the Kenya Revenue Authority ↗, and the South African Revenue Service ↗. For exact take-home pay, use the AfroTools PAYE calculators. Confirm the actual deductions with the relevant tax authority or a payroll professional. Last verified 2026.