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Yeah, I guess we're getting a bit off track, but go into a US grocery store in one of your target markets and the prices will not look different unless you conv
by oangemangut 6y ago
Yeah, I guess we're getting a bit off track, but go into a US grocery store in one of your target markets and the prices will not look different unless you convert, and then you'll see they are more expensive.
Daycare in the big tech centers, in areas with good schools, costs MORE than Vancouver/Toronto/Montreal before converting. Since we've be here for a family our experiences with healthcare haven't been that different than Canada (normal checkups, 1 delivery in Canada 1 delivery in US), except that we've paid 5-10K per year in out of pocket + another 5K in premiums per year.
Finally - if you go gown on TN, if you have a partner that's coming with you they can't work. And it's a long and annoying slog going from TN -> H1B -> GC. Just food for thought.
Anyways, when you're talking about tier 2/3 companies (especially non-tech) you're not making 300USD+ in US either, especially in secondary markets.
As someone who moved to Bay area to 'tier 2'company, initially as in SWE but now in MLE, the big benefits are the depth of the job market: it's not hard to find a high(ish) TC gig around here, and you can easily shift to another US tech center (which doesn't seem to happen as much in Canada) and the increased savings rate of converted CAD dollars we'll use in Victoria when we return.
- rafiki6 6y agoYes I've researched all this. My partner is TN eligible as well. And yes, dollar figure costs are same, that's exactly my point. CoL from a magnitude is the same when exchange is excluded, but salaries are higher and more opportunities. I exclude exchange because I would earn USD in America. And yes, this is why I'm targeting Tier 2 companies. If CoL is the same when thinking dollar figure, if I got to bay area and earn 170-200k (lower end for senior), and eventually make shift to areas with lower CoL overall and lower salary, fine so be it. Maybe I'll find my way into a Tier 1 eventually with enough Leetcoding. Point is the market is so much bigger in the US and so many more livable metros than Canada. Also on the note of daycare, unless you manage to get into subsidized daycare (impossible essentially), you're paying 2k minimum a month. And as for healthcare, the best deal is living in low or no income tax state. That is the ultimate goal long term. Even Cali vs. Ontario or Van, taxes overall a bit lower. At least the premiums you pay for get you high quality superior healthcare.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- aprdm 6y agoI do not think 170k USD in SF is better than 170k CAD in VAN/TORONTO. 170k CAD in VAN/TORONTO isn't impossible to make for seniors.
- oangemangut 6y agoIn bay we paid roughly 60K USD for an infant and a toddler, and had them in different daycares for a while due to waitlists. In Vancouver it would have been in the 40s, CAD.
- growmn 6y agoCareful about the notion that you make 170-200k Check levels.FYI