[999900000999]

Being able to earn 80k in a moderate incoming country might be a better deal that earning 200k in the US.

I imagine with frugal living you could retire at 40

[Detrytus]

In the US 200k is what you need to achieve the standard of living of an average German citizen on welfare. /s

[hdhshdhshdjd]

As somebody who has lived both places that’s not far off.

[999900000999]

The problem with America is you can fall off really quickly. I've had really good years. Then you get fired, you don't have health insurance since for some God forsaken reason we tie health-care to employment.

Unexpected medical bills pop up. You're out tens of thousands overnight. Maybe you miss a mortgage payment since unemployment insurance is next to nothing.

[hdhshdhshdjd]

That used to be true now it’s worse. My hospital system and health insurer play chicken every 12-24 months. I’ll get letters saying I can’t see my doctor anymore, then they go up until some midnight deadline, make a deal, and I get an email saying I can still go to the doctor.

Sometimes it doesn’t work out through! You could have the same job, health insurance, and doctor for a decade - and ooops! The next day you have to drive an hour away to see some new doctor you never met before who isn’t as good as your doctor.

And that all comes down to this financial gamesmanship between hospitals and insurers. It’s nuts, literally the dumbest combination of petty greed and literal life altering decisions possible.