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The cost of living in relative terms, compared to average salaries, is actually rather low. Rents, food is all really expensive judging from the numbers, but yo
by geff82 7y ago
The cost of living in relative terms, compared to average salaries, is actually rather low. Rents, food is all really expensive judging from the numbers, but you get to keep a larger amount. Switzlerland is expensive for tourists - but for citizens not so much.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- hollerith 7y agoSo the starting salary for software developers in Switzerland is higher than that in the US?
- geff82 7y agoI can not tell for the starter salary, but 100000-120000$ is rather the norm (say it was offered to me without any haggling) and contractors (short term employees) make around 150k-250k.
- komali2 7y agoReductionist question. If you're goal is to get someone to "admit" that a software engineer can get paid more in San Francisco than Switzerland, I guess you've won your argument. You can still tell yourself America is the Best Country in the World™. But as the article indicates, the net worth of the average Swiss is twice that of the average American. The Swiss have found a way to leverage a higher tax rate to less out of pocket cost for their citizens. So you get 20000$ more bucks a year as an American, and then you go ahead and spend it on health insurance or driving a car everywhere.
- geff82 7y agoBesides San Francisco and New York I also think that the average software developer gets paid a lot more in Switzerland, especially tons more than in surrounding countries. The only caveat is that you are usually expected to speak German and/or french (there are jobs without that requirement, but one of those two languages will really make your life a lot easier).
- hollerith 7y agoI never claimed that America is the Best Country in the World™. In fact, I'm participating here because I'm living in the US and considering a move. Net income is a better measure than net worth, and net income is higher in the US than in Switzerland -- both in absolute terms and relative to the respective cost of living. Why is net income a better measure? Well, for one thing, if a country's economy is in danger of imploding and people can guess that that is so, they'll start saving more money. Living from paycheck to paycheck is irrational in any country, but it is less irrational the stabler the government and the economy of your country. Lack of stability or more precisely the perception thereof is part of the reason personal savings rates are higher in China than in the US for example.
- komali2 7y agoThis is the first time I've heard that the reason Americans aren't saving money is because of their confidence in the USD. Typically the reasons are that they can't afford their healthcare or housing costs, or are just financially illiterate. If I wasn't confident in my currency, why would I save in it? The collapse of my government destroys my investment at the same time.
- hollerith 7y agoI refer not to confidence in the currency, but rather confidence in their ability to remain employed.
- Broken_Hippo 7y agoSimple salary doesn't give the entire picture, though. A doctor generally makes more in the US than, say, Norway. The Norwegian doctor, however, doesn't necessarily have a school loan since tuition isn't charged. If they live in a city, they don't need a vehicle, to pay health insurance, and their children's health care is free. The doctor gets maternity leave and they get paid sick leave if needed. They probably pay a bit more tax, but it isn't crushing. The entire life cost structure is simply different - without including some of these quality of life things in with the costs, it isn't a fair comparison.