> If the average American knew what the benefits and lifestyle are like for a middle-class German family
In a pure numbers comparison, you tend to get higher salary in the US. I guess an American making $100k in the US would not easily consider a $70k job in Europe, because it immediately seems like a downgrade.
Not everyone bothers to go into details, like cost of healthcare, pension, daycare, school fees when applicable, tax rates and whether there is property tax or not, cost of commute, typical cost of a home, groceries etc.
> I guess an American making $100k in the US would not easily consider a $70k job in Europe, because it immediately seems like a downgrade. ... Not everyone bothers to go into details, like cost of healthcare
If you're making $100,000 at a job in the US your healthcare is being covered - often entirely - by the company you're working for.
Somehow this point is routinely ignored on HN in these discussions. Good paying jobs in the US almost always come with great healthcare coverage. Employers cover half the people in the US with health insurance. On average the higher your pay, the more of your insurance cost is likely to be paid for by your employer.
That style of higher income healthcare coverage and its tremendous qualities, like very expeditious access that embarrasses countries like Canada (which have superior overall systems), is why the US healthcare system still exists as it does. Higher income voters that don't want to give up what they have.
> If you're making $100,000 at a job in the US your healthcare is being covered - often entirely - by the company you're working for.
Zero deductible, zero copayments for you and your family?
Well, if you have an insurance where the yearly out-of-pocket that you pay in deductibles and copayments is capped in say $3000, it's not a big dent on that $100k.
In a pure numbers comparison, you tend to get higher salary in the US. I guess an American making $100k in the US would not easily consider a $70k job in Europe, because it immediately seems like a downgrade.
Not everyone bothers to go into details, like cost of healthcare, pension, daycare, school fees when applicable, tax rates and whether there is property tax or not, cost of commute, typical cost of a home, groceries etc.