[lII1lIlI11ll]

Can you provide some calculations of being able to afford anything at all for a, say, software developer earning 80k per-year in Paris, Berlin or Amsterdam and compare that to 280k in the Valley? Some of those are completely terrible (SWEs I know who work in Paris can't even afford to rent in the city itself and there is no realistic way for them to ever buy anything in there), others are okayish but definitely not great. And most of those supposed benefits you listed are payed by outrageous taxes on so-called "middle" class, which (surprise!) are exactly those SWEs (others you just disingenuously omitted like retirement contributions which would be close to 20% of your salary in Munich while simultaneously highlighting 401k).

[mschuster91]

> Can you provide some calculations of being able to afford anything at all for a, say, software developer earning 80k per-year in Paris, Berlin or Amsterdam and compare that to 280k in the Valley?

I did just that in a sibling comment. 80k is upper class in Germany, solid middle class can be achieved at 60k.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48340349

[lII1lIlI11ll]

Does achieving "solid middle class" in Munich on 60k somehow involve inheriting an apartment from your late grandma?

[mschuster91]

It does not. Source: did that until last year when we had to move for the new job of my wife. Rented a 60 m² apartment.

[lII1lIlI11ll]

So you conveniently omitted that your wife was also contributing? Is being "solid middle class" in Germany assumes to ever be able to buy your own apartment (preferably not a a 60m^2 shoe-box)?

[mschuster91]

Back then she was studying, so... no.

[spwa4]

Why not just give the prices?