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Lots of anti American comments in this thread, so I’ll attempt to actually answer your question. Background - I’m an American who moved abroad for 12 years (UK

Lots of anti American comments in this thread, so I’ll attempt to actually answer your question. Background - I’m an American who moved abroad for 12 years (UK) and returned after Brexit. Salaries are much higher than the EU. But in some cities cost of living is high. Coming from Berlin, you’ll have an easier time finding an apartment, but it will be expensive. I’d expect to pay $2000 to $2500 per month for a decent apartment in Princeton. Also, you will require a car. Public transport here is not feasible for the most part. A decent car will be $250 per month base, plus $100 to $200 insurance per month, plus fuel. Food is cheap and plentiful. The portion sizes are twice as large for the same equivalent price as the EU :). Make sure you get healthcare coverage through your wife’s job - this shouldn’t be a problem. If you are both in good health you should be fine. If you have preexisting medical conditions then it will likely be much more expensive for you here than in the EU.

cm2187 4y ago
> Lots of anti American comments in this thread Probably the time zone. Better to ask this question in the afternoon in europe.
- guerrilla 4y ago
  So you can get a bunch of American nationalists who have never been to Europe answering? You're dismissing people who have actually lived in both places.
  - drstewart 4y ago
Zerverus 4y ago
Calling out obvious issues one needs to be aware of is not anti American.
- binarymax 4y ago
  I could find lots of things wrong with both US and Germany. Everywhere has its problems and nowhere is perfect. I’ve spent time in just about everywhere and lived in a multitude of environments and cultures. I’m happiest living in Rochester, NY than I was anywhere else. It’s all personal preference, but the “issues” mentioned in other comments were not constructive nor related to the OPs questions.
cromka 4y ago
> Food is cheap and plentiful. The portion sizes are twice as large for the same equivalent price as the EU :). As someone who moved from EU to the US for 6 years and recently got back: the quality of the food is way lower there, though. As in: food standards imposed are significantly lower. I ended buying mostly organic food at Costco after my body significantly changed within first 6 months. EDIT: don't know why I am being downvoted: the food standards difference is based on actual facts, not my personal experience, it doesn't take a lot of googling to compare the sheer numbers. Or if you're lazy just consider the mere fact that salmonella is still a thing in the US, which is why all eggs are washed before the sale.
- trh0awayman 4y ago
  Food standards might be lower, but I would argue that the food quality is better, depending on the country in the EU. Here in Germany, 25% of meat bought in grocery stores doesn't follow the most basic of butchering standards set forth: https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/beitrag.asp?subid=0&Thema_ID=2&ID=2069&Pdf=No&lang=EN https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/beitrag.asp?subid=0&Thema_ID=2&ID=2... What you get in the US is choice - and as a software engineer, you have the money to make those choices. Shop at Whole Foods, not the local gas station, and you will see there is a world of difference. That's one mistake I see Europeans make - they apply a European world view to the US, and don't understand the wide spectrum of choices. Here in Europe, most things are equal or about the same. This mentality is even applied to universities (ask a German which university is "the best", and you will receive a confused look). Whether you think all of this is morally correct is a different question.
  - morelisp 4y ago
    For a fair comparison, what percentage of meat bought in US grocery stores follows the most basic German butchering standards? It's true that any given German grocery store has fewer choices than any given US one, but extrapolating that to "there are no choices" is absurd. Germany has more choices of grocery store, and in both countries if you really want good meat you go to a real butcher (definitely not Whole Foods) anyway. Your comment about universities must be a joke, or your social circle lacks any kind of discrminating ability. I've had multiple conversations with a dozen Germans about exactly this topic in the past month regarding our recruitment/hiring practices.
morelisp 4y ago
> Food is cheap and plentiful. Compared to some of Europe yes, compared to Germany absolutely not.
guerrilla 4y ago
> anti American comments in this thread It's weird that describing things accurately is considered "anti-American." The question was answered multiple times though: If he does get a higher salary, much is going to be wasted on making up for deficiencies of the US that may be invisible to a German (especially wrt. health, food quality, security, social services, etc.)
- nbzso 4y ago
  It is not weird. It is normal. Billions of dollars spent for propaganda of American dream. And it is global. This is the power of an utopian idea. People need belief in the success. Critical thinking was never popular, but nowadays is the exception of the rule.
  - guerrilla 4y ago
    > It is not weird. It is normal. Billions of dollars spent for propaganda of American dream. And it is global. This is the power of an utopian idea. People need belief in the success. Critical thinking was never popular, but nowadays is the exception of the rule. Yeah, definitely, but you'd still expect people here to do better. Nobody who hasn't lived in both even needs to comment really.
- binarymax 4y ago
  The top comment is about as anti-American as it can get. Apparently we’re all drug addicts and burning our own houses to the ground. It’s important to generalize for the sake of the OPs questions, but saying nonsense doesn’t help anyone.
  - guerrilla 4y ago
    That's what I'm talking about, it's just a completely accurate description and you're freaking out saying it said things that it didn't say! Zero things in it are false, but what you're claiming is: > massive alcohol and narcotic dependency issues This is a fact and it's not "[you're] all drug addicts and burning your own houses to the ground." The only way you can get upset is to straw man it really hard.

cm2187 4y ago

> Lots of anti American comments in this thread Probably the time zone. Better to ask this question in the afternoon in europe.

guerrilla 4y ago
So you can get a bunch of American nationalists who have never been to Europe answering? You're dismissing people who have actually lived in both places.
- drstewart 4y ago

Zerverus 4y ago

Calling out obvious issues one needs to be aware of is not anti American.

binarymax 4y ago
I could find lots of things wrong with both US and Germany. Everywhere has its problems and nowhere is perfect. I’ve spent time in just about everywhere and lived in a multitude of environments and cultures. I’m happiest living in Rochester, NY than I was anywhere else. It’s all personal preference, but the “issues” mentioned in other comments were not constructive nor related to the OPs questions.

cromka 4y ago

> Food is cheap and plentiful. The portion sizes are twice as large for the same equivalent price as the EU :). As someone who moved from EU to the US for 6 years and recently got back: the quality of the food is way lower there, though. As in: food standards imposed are significantly lower. I ended buying mostly organic food at Costco after my body significantly changed within first 6 months. EDIT: don't know why I am being downvoted: the food standards difference is based on actual facts, not my personal experience, it doesn't take a lot of googling to compare the sheer numbers. Or if you're lazy just consider the mere fact that salmonella is still a thing in the US, which is why all eggs are washed before the sale.

trh0awayman 4y ago
Food standards might be lower, but I would argue that the food quality is better, depending on the country in the EU. Here in Germany, 25% of meat bought in grocery stores doesn't follow the most basic of butchering standards set forth: https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/beitrag.asp?subid=0&Thema_ID=2&ID=2069&Pdf=No&lang=EN https://www.ua-bw.de/pub/beitrag.asp?subid=0&Thema_ID=2&ID=2... What you get in the US is choice - and as a software engineer, you have the money to make those choices. Shop at Whole Foods, not the local gas station, and you will see there is a world of difference. That's one mistake I see Europeans make - they apply a European world view to the US, and don't understand the wide spectrum of choices. Here in Europe, most things are equal or about the same. This mentality is even applied to universities (ask a German which university is "the best", and you will receive a confused look). Whether you think all of this is morally correct is a different question.
- morelisp 4y ago
  For a fair comparison, what percentage of meat bought in US grocery stores follows the most basic German butchering standards? It's true that any given German grocery store has fewer choices than any given US one, but extrapolating that to "there are no choices" is absurd. Germany has more choices of grocery store, and in both countries if you really want good meat you go to a real butcher (definitely not Whole Foods) anyway. Your comment about universities must be a joke, or your social circle lacks any kind of discrminating ability. I've had multiple conversations with a dozen Germans about exactly this topic in the past month regarding our recruitment/hiring practices.

morelisp 4y ago

> Food is cheap and plentiful. Compared to some of Europe yes, compared to Germany absolutely not.

guerrilla 4y ago

> anti American comments in this thread It's weird that describing things accurately is considered "anti-American." The question was answered multiple times though: If he does get a higher salary, much is going to be wasted on making up for deficiencies of the US that may be invisible to a German (especially wrt. health, food quality, security, social services, etc.)

nbzso 4y ago
It is not weird. It is normal. Billions of dollars spent for propaganda of American dream. And it is global. This is the power of an utopian idea. People need belief in the success. Critical thinking was never popular, but nowadays is the exception of the rule.
- guerrilla 4y ago
  > It is not weird. It is normal. Billions of dollars spent for propaganda of American dream. And it is global. This is the power of an utopian idea. People need belief in the success. Critical thinking was never popular, but nowadays is the exception of the rule. Yeah, definitely, but you'd still expect people here to do better. Nobody who hasn't lived in both even needs to comment really.
binarymax 4y ago
The top comment is about as anti-American as it can get. Apparently we’re all drug addicts and burning our own houses to the ground. It’s important to generalize for the sake of the OPs questions, but saying nonsense doesn’t help anyone.
- guerrilla 4y ago
  That's what I'm talking about, it's just a completely accurate description and you're freaking out saying it said things that it didn't say! Zero things in it are false, but what you're claiming is: > massive alcohol and narcotic dependency issues This is a fact and it's not "[you're] all drug addicts and burning your own houses to the ground." The only way you can get upset is to straw man it really hard.