The chart literally says "net"(s) salary. ~1400€ is also the minimum wage in France, and if you count in that you have a kinda decent welfare (still light years

The chart literally says "net"(s) salary. ~1400€ is also the minimum wage in France, and if you count in that you have a kinda decent welfare (still light years ahead of US) it means that you can live a better life than the equivalent in the US