[martinald]

You do realise that $55k even with $12k insurance taken off ($43k "effective' median) is higher than any EU state, apart from maybe Luxembourg. And taxes will be significantly higher in EU states than MI (even if you are paying healthcare privately), which will further tilt it?

[distances]

But the US citizen will have to save for retirement and kids' potential university education out of the remaining part, correct?

For such a middle class person Europe is likely to be better / more stable economically. Single software engineer will surely have it financially much better in the US though.