4 ms·

But almost no-one is earning $250k/year in Europe. Not even the Prime Minister. That's the issue, it's more like earning $60k in EU vs. $160k in the US for mos

But almost no-one is earning $250k/year in Europe. Not even the Prime Minister. That's the issue, it's more like earning $60k in EU vs. $160k in the US for most Tech workers. And the latter is much, much better.

MrJohz 4y ago
Ah yes. That classic job. Prime Minister of Europe...
sph 4y ago
I'm closer to the second figure working in the UK, actually. You won't certainly get $60k/yr working for one of the FAANG offices in London. In fact, how many US Netflix employees are actually earning $500k/yr like we were discussing upthread? I doubt that's the salary of a junior frontend employee. If it is, good for them. I don't think my quality of life and happiness would change dramatically between $250k and $1M/yr, but apparently this is so hard to convey to an American audience that thinks more money == more happiness.
- PretzelPirate 4y ago
  I think for Americans (I am one), more money == less fear. We don’t have any real social safety nets, so making $500k/year let’s you pay off your house and save for retirement faster. I’d give up my $500k/year salary to move to Europe and feel more supported if anything went wrong, but I do wonder how much support someone on a work visa in the UK/EU gets if they lose their job.
  - arroz 4y ago
    Social safety net like what? I just moved to Canada Health care is free and I am covered on my visa Medication / dentist is not but my company has private health insurance so I am covered for that too Education for kids is free too Public transport sucks but that is because I am in a small city Europe is better connected and I’ve heard their public health care is better, but I doubt it would be too different I don’t know at what else the social safety net in Europe would be better Unless people want to leave miserably, they need to pay rent and food everywhere (heck, you even have food stamp in the states) Keep in mind things tend to be cheaper in the US than in Europe
  - samhw 4y ago
    Yeah, this is the obverse of why I don't go to the US. I know the guy upthread was smarmily pushing the "oh, it's just because you CAN'T get a visa / get a job / figure out how the fuck you're meant to apply for an ESTA / etc" line, but it's not really that. I'm at the not-literally-top-percentile-but-very-very-close mark in London, and I'm confident I'd be paid commensurately in the US. But the healthcare situation is an absolute, hard no. I don't care if I get private insurance in the States. I get private insurance here too, and I even use it now and again. But I care about knowing that, no matter what happens to me, ever, I won't be saddled with a life-ruining debt that wipes out what I've gained. Not without my consenting to borrow such an amount. I'm not interested in playing snakes and ladders. I'm not interested in the equivalent of someone selling me a mortgage without my knowledge in my sleep (and with no house at the end of it). And I know that insurers - unlike the UK govt - are in the business of avoiding making payouts[0]. (That's the main thing, at least, by far. Then the salary-erasing real estate costs, in all the places where those endlessly-quoted salary figures are from, make me not-particularly-sad that I ruled it out.) [0] I'm not imputing dishonesty. I'm just saying their literal business model is maximise premiums, minimise claims.
wdb 4y ago
Plenty of Prime Minster's or similar roles in European governments that earn 120k+ euro per year
helij 4y ago
60k anywhere in EU gives you pretty comfy life with two to three proper holidays a year and regular short weekend trips. And there's something left on the table for savings and hobbies as well. You will probably never be rich rich but you will have no money worries.

MrJohz 4y ago

Ah yes. That classic job. Prime Minister of Europe...

sph 4y ago

I'm closer to the second figure working in the UK, actually. You won't certainly get $60k/yr working for one of the FAANG offices in London. In fact, how many US Netflix employees are actually earning $500k/yr like we were discussing upthread? I doubt that's the salary of a junior frontend employee. If it is, good for them. I don't think my quality of life and happiness would change dramatically between $250k and $1M/yr, but apparently this is so hard to convey to an American audience that thinks more money == more happiness.

PretzelPirate 4y ago
I think for Americans (I am one), more money == less fear. We don’t have any real social safety nets, so making $500k/year let’s you pay off your house and save for retirement faster. I’d give up my $500k/year salary to move to Europe and feel more supported if anything went wrong, but I do wonder how much support someone on a work visa in the UK/EU gets if they lose their job.
- arroz 4y ago
  Social safety net like what? I just moved to Canada Health care is free and I am covered on my visa Medication / dentist is not but my company has private health insurance so I am covered for that too Education for kids is free too Public transport sucks but that is because I am in a small city Europe is better connected and I’ve heard their public health care is better, but I doubt it would be too different I don’t know at what else the social safety net in Europe would be better Unless people want to leave miserably, they need to pay rent and food everywhere (heck, you even have food stamp in the states) Keep in mind things tend to be cheaper in the US than in Europe
- samhw 4y ago
  Yeah, this is the obverse of why I don't go to the US. I know the guy upthread was smarmily pushing the "oh, it's just because you CAN'T get a visa / get a job / figure out how the fuck you're meant to apply for an ESTA / etc" line, but it's not really that. I'm at the not-literally-top-percentile-but-very-very-close mark in London, and I'm confident I'd be paid commensurately in the US. But the healthcare situation is an absolute, hard no. I don't care if I get private insurance in the States. I get private insurance here too, and I even use it now and again. But I care about knowing that, no matter what happens to me, ever, I won't be saddled with a life-ruining debt that wipes out what I've gained. Not without my consenting to borrow such an amount. I'm not interested in playing snakes and ladders. I'm not interested in the equivalent of someone selling me a mortgage without my knowledge in my sleep (and with no house at the end of it). And I know that insurers - unlike the UK govt - are in the business of avoiding making payouts[0]. (That's the main thing, at least, by far. Then the salary-erasing real estate costs, in all the places where those endlessly-quoted salary figures are from, make me not-particularly-sad that I ruled it out.) [0] I'm not imputing dishonesty. I'm just saying their literal business model is maximise premiums, minimise claims.

wdb 4y ago

Plenty of Prime Minster's or similar roles in European governments that earn 120k+ euro per year

helij 4y ago

60k anywhere in EU gives you pretty comfy life with two to three proper holidays a year and regular short weekend trips. And there's something left on the table for savings and hobbies as well. You will probably never be rich rich but you will have no money worries.