Recruiting a single developer in Belgium can take 3+ months once you factor in job postings, interviews, and notice periods — before you’ve paid a cent in salary. Add employer social security contributions, holiday pay, the 13th month, and recruitment fees, and the real cost of one in-house developer is often 35-45% higher than their listed salary. Meanwhile, your competitors who’ve already outsourced are shipping features while you’re still writing the job description.