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Do keep in mind that Europe is not a single country. Within the European Union, salaries and tax rates vary greatly. For western Europe, that seems a bit low.

Besides the northern countries, the tax rate is not 50%. Most countries either have a flat rate that is well below that or have a system where you pay in boxes. Like %30 over the first 20k, then %47 over the remainder etc. On top of that, many countries have countless schemes that result in tax deductions. Like owning a house gets you a discount.

In almost all cases, the effective tax rate falls well below 50%.