3 ms·

They're referring to specifically the tech industry. Which is, most assuredly, higher paid in California than anywhere else around the globe (in the mean, there

They're referring to specifically the tech industry. Which is, most assuredly, higher paid in California than anywhere else around the globe (in the mean, there are obvious exceptions). This comes from a person with EU citizenship who has shopped jobs/interviewed in multiple major cities in Europe; including Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Dublin and Prague. It's not insignificant. We're talking 150-220k USD/yr in LA vs 75-95k EUR/yr in Amsterdam (as an example, since it paid the greatest during my search) for a similar seniority role. That's before accounting for nominal tax differences (~37% LA vs ~38-42% AMS; which is significant at that delta). When I reviewed housing, Amsterdam wasn't significantly cheaper than LA, but it varied wildly based on where you wanted to live in both cities. LA apartments: 1200-4000USD, AMS Apartments: 930-3500EUR. The major plus in AMS being that you could live further from City Center and still reliably account for public transit. There's medical: free in AMS, $38/mo where I opted to work in LA. There's vacation time: 20-24days in AMS, flextime at my company. Etc. I mean, there are more comparisons to be made; but those were the prime metrics I was interested in.

LunaSea 7y ago
> AMS Apartments: 930-3500EUR Wait what?! What kind of apartments are we talking about here? > $38/mo where I opted to work in LA What does the medical insurance cover? How much did your car & car insurance cost in LA and did you need one in Amsterdam (probably not)?
- deaddodo 7y ago
  > Wait what?! What kind of apartments are we talking about here? All of them, that was the range from the cheapest to the priciest. Idk why that seems unbelievable, I literally just looked at apartments in AMS now and the range appears the same. > What does the medical insurance cover? It’s full medical coverage via a PPO plan. $40 copay, $250 deductible, $1500 max out-of-pocket per year. > How much did your car & car insurance cost in LA and did you need one in Amsterdam (probably not)? I already owned a car, and would have sold it if I moved. Insurance is paid semi-annually but isn’t a major expense. Additionally, I included public transit as a benefit for Amsterdam in my original post, so I’m not sure what your point is. It really seems like you’re grasping at straws to justify the difference. The reasoning is obvious: the tech industry is massive, highly competitive and California is currently the global leader in that industry.

LunaSea 7y ago

> AMS Apartments: 930-3500EUR Wait what?! What kind of apartments are we talking about here? > $38/mo where I opted to work in LA What does the medical insurance cover? How much did your car & car insurance cost in LA and did you need one in Amsterdam (probably not)?

deaddodo 7y ago
> Wait what?! What kind of apartments are we talking about here? All of them, that was the range from the cheapest to the priciest. Idk why that seems unbelievable, I literally just looked at apartments in AMS now and the range appears the same. > What does the medical insurance cover? It’s full medical coverage via a PPO plan. $40 copay, $250 deductible, $1500 max out-of-pocket per year. > How much did your car & car insurance cost in LA and did you need one in Amsterdam (probably not)? I already owned a car, and would have sold it if I moved. Insurance is paid semi-annually but isn’t a major expense. Additionally, I included public transit as a benefit for Amsterdam in my original post, so I’m not sure what your point is. It really seems like you’re grasping at straws to justify the difference. The reasoning is obvious: the tech industry is massive, highly competitive and California is currently the global leader in that industry.