[simpss]

Not sure how it works in Australia, but if i break down my salary by taxes in Eastern Europe, I'm paying 33% "social tax" which comes out to around 1900€/month. This breaks down further to 2 groups. One for pension and the other for healthcare.

Pension is 20% from the total. (used to pay the current pensions)

Healthchare is 13% from the total.

This comes out at around 990€/month for "health insurance". There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems, but I'm pretty sure you're paying something as a tax for you health insurance and it's probably similar to what they're paying.

To be fair, i'm well paid and a person with an average salary would pay around 250€ monthly. It's just the way our system is setup with a fixed % which automatically creates tax brackets.

[malnourish]

The healthcare costs for insurance in the US don't include the costs of actually visiting the doctor or getting medicine. You still have to pay for those, amount dependent on the terms of your plan.

For example, a routine doctor's office visit can cost hundreds in addition to the monthly fee you pay.

Last year I paid $300/month for my medicine, in addition to other costs.

[ChuckNorris89]

Wow, you earn a lot for Eastern Europe. What do you do if I may ask?

[photonios]

Probably a software engineer. If you're a little above average, salaries are very high. Most software engineers I know in Romania make at least 5 times the national average. Good ones make up to 10 times the national average.

[ChuckNorris89]

Still, according to his numbers he makes about about €70k/year. That's more than me and my friends make in Germany and Austria. Either Eastern European salaries took off like a rocket or Germany heavily underpais.

Really curious what his job and location is, maybe I move there :)

[photonios]

That's before taxes I believe. So after income tax and social contributions, you'll have paid 40-50% of that. Doesn't sound off to me. At least, that's the case here in Romania.

Another interesting fact is that in Romania the tax system is simple enough to always negotiate in net salary. Your employer takes care of paying taxes and social contributions etc.

[ChuckNorris89]

So €70k/year before taxes is a normal dev salary in Romania? Are you sure, since that's basically German level of salaries but with much lower COL. Do you have any sources for this?

Because if that's the case I'm coming over to join you. :)

[simpss]

we compete on the same market, so we have the same salaries.

But the rest of the country doesn't, so we have the lower COL.

Give me a private contact and I can give you some concrete answers and tips regarding the area.

[simpss]

software engineer/manager with (bigger) international projects. This is on the high end for such positions.

I can't complain :)