[peterjaap]

Quit whining and get to work. You are grossly overpaid. I live in the Netherlands and that job and your skill set would get you around 45.000 USD a year. And we pay roughly 50% taxes over that, netting you at 22.500 USD a year. So, get to work.

[patd]

Don't forget that your cost of living (rent, food, ...) is probably lower in the Netherlands than in SF. And you get all the social benefit from a European country (cheaper healthcare, cheaper education, ...).

It's hard to compare US and European salaries.

[Zklozenblarg]

I can tell you from experience: the cost of living in Amsterdam is quite significantly higher than in SF, and that's not even taking the far higher income tax into consideration.

It's not surprising that you all are so worried about H1-B immigrants and outsourcing to India, as your wage fresh out of college is about twice as high as an equivalently skilled engineer can expect to make at the height of his or her career here.

edit: it seems google thinks the cost of living in AMS and SF are about the same: http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/index

[Zklozenblarg]

You should reexamine your payslip. The highest tax bracket may be roughly 50%, but none of your income is actually in that bracket. You probably get to keep about 65% of your income, which is still less than you would get to keep in California.

[mping]

I'm sorry, but you are being paid by Portuguese standards (you sure it's net 22.k USD, not €?). I have received some offers for jobs in Amsterdam, the highest was 450/500 € per day, and I believe there's similar offers.

[Zklozenblarg]

You're comparing a consultancy rate (of which you'll be lucky to pocket 20%) in Ams with a salary in SF.