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Reason I left the UK for [redacted] was lack of wage growth. My wife is earning more than double what she was in the UK (tech sector). Taxes are very similar to

Reason I left the UK for [redacted] was lack of wage growth. My wife is earning more than double what she was in the UK (tech sector). Taxes are very similar to the UK whereas overall CoL is lower in [redacted] (for us anyway, it varies on location, expected lifestyle, etc) so we have been able to save a lot more than we were able to in the UK. Also quality of life in [redacted] is so so much better than it was in the UK. Comparing the last 5 years here vs our 5 last years in the UK and it is shocking how different and better our life is. Sure [redacted] has its problems (just look at the protests right now) but I wouldn't leave unless it was for a really big chunk of change. [redacted] is freakin' awesome. Oh also the healthcare is fucking incredible. I've had a few issues recently and every time I've needed to see my doctor it is same day and when referred to see a specialist it is always within a week. I had an MRI last week and a follow up yesterday to check some other things. Saw the consultant 15 minutes after the scan. Got the all clear. No waiting around thinking the worst. Absolutely amazing service and wanna know how much it cost me? €5 for parking last week and €3.70 for parking this week.

basisword 4y ago
>> Also quality of life in France is so so much better than it was in the UK. Comparing the last 5 years here vs our 5 last years in the UK and it is shocking how different and better our life is. Do you mind expanding on this? Particularly the less obvious things that you didn’t notice until you’d spent some time living there.
- lock-the-spock 4y ago
  Not op but among others and not taking about paris, but I'd suggest * Food options/freshness * Culture affordable * Pace of life generally calmer (but I know only UK cities not countryside life so YMMV) * Working hours lower * More human public services * Quality of housing - UK housing stock is abysmal especially if you are renting * Maternity/general employee protections There are also downsides, like probably lower tech take-up and flexibility with some big corps being quite hierarchical and the school system somewhat old fashioned (on the other hand not as segregated and struggling as UK system)
  - satysin 4y ago
    Pretty spot on!
- satysin 4y ago
  Sure but I don't know how good a job I will do putting it into words :) We lived in London ([redacted]) and just outside ([redacted]) before we moved. We moved to the outskirts of [redacted] (we're a 10 minute drive from the nearest metro station). Takes 20 minutes to drive into the centre (Bellecour). About 10 minutes to drive to Tete D'or park just to give you some idea of distances. Life in [redacted] is just so much more relaxed and happy. It is the little things like when I take my son to school here all the parents stop and chat and laugh and talk about what they did that weekend. In the UK it always felt like everyone was in a rush and/or bad mood. Rushing off to some other activity or moaning how they're running late because they were caught up at work. Everyone here has a very hard cut point with work. I don't think I've actually heard someone complain about being late because of work. Traffic yes but never work. Everyone takes a solid 2 hour lunch break where we sit out in the sun (the weather is a plus obviously). Chat. Read. Play Pétanque. The same is true after work. For example just yesterday the weather is warm so after I got back from having my MRI I bumped into my neighbour on his way home from work. He asked how I was doing so I gave him the update all is good and he was like that's great come play with us! And we spent the next hour chatting about MRIs with the kids, explaining how they work and I showed them the MRI of my brain I had on my laptop from last week haha :D I know that is nothing unique to being in [redacted] and it could just as well happen in the UK but my point here is it never happened in the UK. Whereas that is just my normal evening. Neighbours chat and socialise and we pop round each others for goûter (a small snack) randomly. I am sure I could have the same anywhere including the UK but given I lived in a similar kind of place (outskirts of a big city) it is just interesting to me how different the people and lifestyle are. When I visit family back in the UK it feels odd to me. A lot of negativity. A lot of misery. I went last August and chatting with my parents neighbours (whom I have been friends with for a decade) were just so so negative. Moaning constantly, grumpy. I even said to my mother at the time "wtf is up with Zoe?" and she said "oh she's just had enough of all the crap". To be fair this was when Liz Truss just tanked the economy in record time and was then replaced with Sunak. I realise [redacted] is not all roses and butterflies obviously. They have real problems too and perhaps I just lucked out with my place in [redacted] but my wife is happy and my son is happy (and bilingual which is a huge win and something I am super happy about). We live in a place 2.5x as our place in [redacted] for €300 month less. Have excellent healthcare, great weather, wonderful food, a beautiful park to relax in just 10 minutes away (Tete D'or). Life is pretty damn good and that is before all the financial benefits we had moving here which are another story. Edit: forgive any glaring typos. I wrote this very quickly as I am heading out of the door, usually I would proof read something this long as I won't be able to edit it later! If something seems very wrong I will try to correct it with a later reply :)
secfirstmd 4y ago
Agreed. I lived in London and moved back to Dublin. Even with the high costs in Ireland and taxes, tech salaries are now moving way ahead of London (which is not a cheap city).
themoonisachees 4y ago
As a French person: What you said is true, but the job market is fucked over here as well, its just the tech sectors going nuts. People with degrees in anything other than IT end up as servers, while people with those degrees get called weekly by recruiters. Same as anywhere else really, I got a 25% raise by hopping jobs for a year.

basisword 4y ago

>> Also quality of life in France is so so much better than it was in the UK. Comparing the last 5 years here vs our 5 last years in the UK and it is shocking how different and better our life is. Do you mind expanding on this? Particularly the less obvious things that you didn’t notice until you’d spent some time living there.

lock-the-spock 4y ago
Not op but among others and not taking about paris, but I'd suggest * Food options/freshness * Culture affordable * Pace of life generally calmer (but I know only UK cities not countryside life so YMMV) * Working hours lower * More human public services * Quality of housing - UK housing stock is abysmal especially if you are renting * Maternity/general employee protections There are also downsides, like probably lower tech take-up and flexibility with some big corps being quite hierarchical and the school system somewhat old fashioned (on the other hand not as segregated and struggling as UK system)
- satysin 4y ago
  Pretty spot on!
satysin 4y ago
Sure but I don't know how good a job I will do putting it into words :) We lived in London ([redacted]) and just outside ([redacted]) before we moved. We moved to the outskirts of [redacted] (we're a 10 minute drive from the nearest metro station). Takes 20 minutes to drive into the centre (Bellecour). About 10 minutes to drive to Tete D'or park just to give you some idea of distances. Life in [redacted] is just so much more relaxed and happy. It is the little things like when I take my son to school here all the parents stop and chat and laugh and talk about what they did that weekend. In the UK it always felt like everyone was in a rush and/or bad mood. Rushing off to some other activity or moaning how they're running late because they were caught up at work. Everyone here has a very hard cut point with work. I don't think I've actually heard someone complain about being late because of work. Traffic yes but never work. Everyone takes a solid 2 hour lunch break where we sit out in the sun (the weather is a plus obviously). Chat. Read. Play Pétanque. The same is true after work. For example just yesterday the weather is warm so after I got back from having my MRI I bumped into my neighbour on his way home from work. He asked how I was doing so I gave him the update all is good and he was like that's great come play with us! And we spent the next hour chatting about MRIs with the kids, explaining how they work and I showed them the MRI of my brain I had on my laptop from last week haha :D I know that is nothing unique to being in [redacted] and it could just as well happen in the UK but my point here is it never happened in the UK. Whereas that is just my normal evening. Neighbours chat and socialise and we pop round each others for goûter (a small snack) randomly. I am sure I could have the same anywhere including the UK but given I lived in a similar kind of place (outskirts of a big city) it is just interesting to me how different the people and lifestyle are. When I visit family back in the UK it feels odd to me. A lot of negativity. A lot of misery. I went last August and chatting with my parents neighbours (whom I have been friends with for a decade) were just so so negative. Moaning constantly, grumpy. I even said to my mother at the time "wtf is up with Zoe?" and she said "oh she's just had enough of all the crap". To be fair this was when Liz Truss just tanked the economy in record time and was then replaced with Sunak. I realise [redacted] is not all roses and butterflies obviously. They have real problems too and perhaps I just lucked out with my place in [redacted] but my wife is happy and my son is happy (and bilingual which is a huge win and something I am super happy about). We live in a place 2.5x as our place in [redacted] for €300 month less. Have excellent healthcare, great weather, wonderful food, a beautiful park to relax in just 10 minutes away (Tete D'or). Life is pretty damn good and that is before all the financial benefits we had moving here which are another story. Edit: forgive any glaring typos. I wrote this very quickly as I am heading out of the door, usually I would proof read something this long as I won't be able to edit it later! If something seems very wrong I will try to correct it with a later reply :)

secfirstmd 4y ago

Agreed. I lived in London and moved back to Dublin. Even with the high costs in Ireland and taxes, tech salaries are now moving way ahead of London (which is not a cheap city).

themoonisachees 4y ago

As a French person: What you said is true, but the job market is fucked over here as well, its just the tech sectors going nuts. People with degrees in anything other than IT end up as servers, while people with those degrees get called weekly by recruiters. Same as anywhere else really, I got a 25% raise by hopping jobs for a year.