• EnderMB@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I work in a big tech company, and there are probably interns in NY/Cali that get paid better than I do as an experienced engineer in the UK.

    Most of the people I work with in NYC live like students, despite having a yearly salary that could probably cover a sizable chunk of a UK pension. I own a house and have enough saved to not need to work for several months, yet there are people that vastly outearn me in the US and still get fucked by healthcare costs, rent, house prices, etc.

    I do understand that building wealth is tricky, but I think you’ll be extremely shocked at how high the costs are in some places, and how many people that do build wealth are rolling the dice on health insurance and not taking sick days/vacation. I’m considering a move to LA this year, and despite a high-band salary my life will likely be considerably worse, purely looking at the rent prices in/near Santa Monica…

    • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      looking at the rent prices in/near Santa Monica…

      You are thinking of walking to work? You’re going to be commuting like everyone else. That’s why everyone in LA is stuck in traffic. Or just work from home.

      • EnderMB@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        They’re also the highest pay band for most companies, which is why many people want to go to NYC or the Bay area to work.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Income scales with cost of living. They’re only outliers by scale. They’re right in line with the marginal living conditions of Americans (living poor because costs outpace wages).

        • aidan@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          They’re right in line with the marginal living conditions of Americans (living poor because costs outpace wages).

          Except wages are half of US wages(nationwide), with relatively similar cost of living in Europe.

          • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            relatively similar cost of living in Europe.

            If you discount health care, transit, and education, ignore paid time off benefits, and try not to think about how much lead is in our drinking water? I guess.

            • aidan@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              If you discount health care,

              Your employer usually pays your healthcare in both cases, US does have deductibles, and a very stupid system if you’re self-employed. But personally, being under 26, I’ve had a far better experience with US healthcare. I’ve been able to be treated, and my family members haven’t been neglected(not saying it doesn’t happen though). My partner was told he’d have to wait 6+ months to see a specialist for ear infection treatment when it didn’t go away after 1 round of anti-biotics in Europe. A relative of mine has to travel to the US for treatment that was deemed a waste in her home country, in the hospital she was staying in her whole wing was so neglected that their chamber pots were overflowing and they weren’t being properly fed. This was in a European capital city(Prague).

              transit

              Depends on the city, but a cheap 90s or 00s sedan generally won’t cost enough to make up for that extra 40-60%

              education

              I know a fair number of people who went to private highschools because they couldn’t even get into public ones. But its true uni is cheaper in Europe if you can get in- but its nowhere near a necessity.

              and try not to think about how much lead is in our drinking water?

              If you think you have lead in your drinking water, call your water company, they’ll probably send you a free test kit.

              • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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                5 months ago

                Your employer usually pays your healthcare

                In the United States? That’s not true at all. Roughly half of American workers don’t get health insurance from the employer. And that’s before you consider folks who lose their jobs after suffering a medical emergency.