Intelsentrix

How much does a cybersecurity team cost?

Market analysis 8 min read

A growing product, a large customer security questionnaire or upcoming NIS2 requirements often trigger the same reaction: “we need to hire a cybersecurity specialist”.

Sometimes that is the right move. But many companies try to cover five different areas with one person: application testing, network security, code review, incidents and audit questions.

One good specialist in Lithuania can cost from €50,000 per year. A full team costs much more. So it is worth asking when to hire internally and when to buy a specific result from the outside.

How much do security specialists cost?

Below are directional annual employer costs for the Lithuanian market. This is not an exact hiring quote, but it helps show how much different security skills can cost.

RoleAnnual expensesWhat it coversWhat it does not cover
SOC analyst €31,000-€55,000 / yearMonitoring, alert review and incident escalation.Does not replace a pentester, CISO or AppSec specialist.
Security engineer €37,000-€67,000 / yearServers, cloud, network, configuration and protection controls.One person rarely covers infrastructure and deep application security.
AppSec / pentester €43,000-€80,000+ / yearWeb, API, mobile, code and realistic attack scenario testing.Not the same as 24/7 monitoring or compliance documentation.
GRC / information security €37,000-€67,000 / yearNIS2, ISO, policies, risk management and audit preparation.Does not replace technical testing and vulnerability validation.
CISO / security lead €61,000-€98,000+ / yearPriorities, strategy, budget, risk management and leadership advice.Usually still needs technical specialists or external testing.

Hidden costs: salary is only the beginning

Looking only at the headline salary is a financial mistake. The real cost of an internal security function becomes visible only after adding the technology and operational load the company must carry.

  • Tools and licenses (SaaS costs). A person without tools works blind. Professional vulnerability scanners, EDR / MDR agents and log management systems can easily add €5,000 to €15,000 per year to the budget.
  • Continuous qualification. Security knowledge ages quickly. Serious certifications and practical training can cost €2,000 to €5,000 per employee every year. If the company does not fund this, the specialist starts falling behind the threat landscape.
  • Hiring and management load. Finding this talent can take months and cost a lot. If the company has no experienced security leader, managing the specialist, checking work quality and setting the right priorities becomes separate work for a non-security manager.

What does in-house security cost?

Building security fully in-house is an expensive long-term commitment. Once employer costs, workplace overhead and basic tooling are included, the market usually looks like this:

  • 1 specialist (generalist) - €50,000-€90,000 per year
  • Small team (2-3 people) - €120,000-€250,000 per year
  • Mature security function - from €250,000 per year

The main challenge is that even with these budgets, a few internal people cannot realistically cover the full spectrum of deep expertise: professional penetration testing, code audit work and ISO compliance at the same time.

Internal team vs external partner

Example: A growing SaaS product has a web application, API, several integrations and a large customer security questionnaire on the table. The goal is to quickly test the application, review code security and get a clear action plan.

ScenarioInternal hireExternal partner
Annual expensesaround €80,000 (salary + taxes + tools)around €32,000 (fixed service package)
What do you actually get?One person who coordinates internal processes and handles daily fires.A full penetration test, continuous code review, vCISO advisory and retesting.
Main limitationOne employee cannot realistically be a deep pentester, GRC auditor and strategist at the same time.You buy a concrete scope. The partner advises and tests, but does not replace the internal decision-maker.
Vacation and riskIf the person gets sick, takes vacation or leaves, security processes inside the company stop.You buy an outcome, not just hours. Continuity and specialist rotation are handled by the external company.
When does it make sense?When daily security questions create a full 8-hour workday internally.When you need a fast, concrete result: a reliable test, report, code review or technical depth.

This example shows the core principle clearly: if the business needs a concrete technical outcome, a professional external team can cost about half as much as one full-time employee with the tools they need.

If this scenario looks familiar, Intelsentrix can work as an external security partner: penetration testing, source code review, network testing or continuous security review based on the actual need. You can start with a free consultation.

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