I did not find this to be the case at all when I lived in Germany (Hesse), though being paid in US dollars for a US firm. I would say the prices of food were a

I did not find this to be the case at all when I lived in Germany (Hesse), though being paid in US dollars for a US firm. I would say the prices of food were at least as high as in the US, and while apartments were not SF expensive, but probably more like a small Midwestern city. Not having a car in the medium sized German city I lived in was not the deal breaker it would have been in the US, but it still was a pain. It didn't seem like the trains were really that cheap, and we also have busses in most US cities. So in the end, I don't think living in Germany or similar at a salary equal to $50k is as nearly as good of deal as working in the Midwest US for $100k or the coasts for $150k. I'd be better off working here, living frugally a fear years, and then just taking the savings and go on an adventure without worrying about all the visa issues.