5 ms·

I think the basic premise of the question is utterly flawed. Europe is NOT more expensive when it comes to just about anything except for certain categories of

I think the basic premise of the question is utterly flawed. Europe is NOT more expensive when it comes to just about anything except for certain categories of items (like cars and for good reason!). Take Germany for example. Childcare? Free or 200 EUR per month if you want extended hours. College tuition? Free. Rent? Fairly cheap. Food? Again, fairly reasonable. Almost any kind of -care or -service is cheaper in Germany as compared to the US.

rubatuga 9y ago
I heard Germany also has less working days in a year on average.
- MagnumOpus 9y ago
  Well, a legal minimum of 20 vacation days (and 30 being the norm for full-time work), plus 9-10 public holidays that fall on workdays, plus as many days of paid sick leave as the doctor asks for. So maybe 220 days at work per year? I guess that is 6-10% less than in the US.
  - germanier 9y ago
    An average German employee works about 1.3k hours a year, in the US about 1.8k. There are some European countries where people work even longer on average. (Note that these numbers include all workers, so also part-time employees. There are also differences between countries on how they are exactly measured so comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt. But for a rough idea that should be enough). Source: https://data.oecd.org/emp/hours-worked.htm https://data.oecd.org/emp/hours-worked.htm
- y4mi 9y ago
  Employers are required to Grant an absolute minimum of 4 weeks of vacation per year.(20 days in 5 workday contracts and 24 in 6 workday contracts) It's generally more the further you get in your career. I know a few people that aren't even in management yet with about 30 days (plus state holiday) and a 35 hours week.
- Boothroid 9y ago
  fewer, not less
- anthonybsd 9y ago
  Yes. And for people in my field (Software), salaries are also generally lower than in US. However, if you have a family, overall life is much cheaper in Germany.
HillaryBriss 9y ago
in the US people pay less for food, guns and gasoline -- all the things that make America great

rubatuga 9y ago

I heard Germany also has less working days in a year on average.

MagnumOpus 9y ago
Well, a legal minimum of 20 vacation days (and 30 being the norm for full-time work), plus 9-10 public holidays that fall on workdays, plus as many days of paid sick leave as the doctor asks for. So maybe 220 days at work per year? I guess that is 6-10% less than in the US.
- germanier 9y ago
  An average German employee works about 1.3k hours a year, in the US about 1.8k. There are some European countries where people work even longer on average. (Note that these numbers include all workers, so also part-time employees. There are also differences between countries on how they are exactly measured so comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt. But for a rough idea that should be enough). Source: https://data.oecd.org/emp/hours-worked.htm https://data.oecd.org/emp/hours-worked.htm
y4mi 9y ago
Employers are required to Grant an absolute minimum of 4 weeks of vacation per year.(20 days in 5 workday contracts and 24 in 6 workday contracts) It's generally more the further you get in your career. I know a few people that aren't even in management yet with about 30 days (plus state holiday) and a 35 hours week.
Boothroid 9y ago
fewer, not less
anthonybsd 9y ago
Yes. And for people in my field (Software), salaries are also generally lower than in US. However, if you have a family, overall life is much cheaper in Germany.

HillaryBriss 9y ago

in the US people pay less for food, guns and gasoline -- all the things that make America great