[mschuster91]

> I'm sorry to hear that you're not better compensated.

They are in the UK with a somewhat decent healthcare system, somewhat sane rents (notable exception: London) and a somewhat sane pension system.

US salaries are so high because US salaries have to cover for all three points additionally.

[astrange]

Companies that pay well in the US also provide good healthcare benefits. There are some weird setups like HDHPs where they give you free money at the start of the year, then immediately charge you so much for prescriptions that it gets used up again, but I think this is a way to let us farm credit card points.

[jasonkester]

That’s just silly.

I lived in the UK with all those things you describe, but I still made a point of billing my Bay Area rate because that is what the work product of a software engineer is worth on the market.

So, no. Even if you live in your parents basement and they cook your meals and take are of your other expenses, you should still approach your work life as though you were an adult.

[tjpnz]

Never lived in the US (and haven't lived in the UK for years) but the idea that you need a SV salary to get health care which meets or exceeds that of the NHS sounds a bit suspect.

[hamilyon2]

From what I know, moving to US from a country with good socialised health care is a lot like selling a lot of put options on your health with different strike "prices". You might get rich, or if you are very sick, you are bankrupt.

[TMWNN]

Multiple studies have shown that Kaiser Permanente (an integrated health insurance/care provider—basically a non-governmental equivalent of the NHS in comprehensiveness—that is available in many US states) is more efficient and effective than the NHS for about the same cost.

Examples:

* https://www.bmj.com/content/324/7330/135

* https://www.bmj.com/content/327/7426/1257