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Celtictussle t1_j5wtlpf wrote

Reply to comment by asshole_goose in Amsterdam opens a $65 Million underwater parking garage for bikes by Scarppetta

If you're not a skilled worker, they don't want you. If you are, you'll take a home a ton less money while paying the same rent, and more for auto costs. In reality, you will ONLY ride a bike and take transit because you can't afford otherwise.

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arcanereborn t1_j5xpu6w wrote

Amsterdam does not want you drive cars, they make been making it more expensive to have a car on purpose. Makes for a better city to live in. As for the take home pay, you are missing out a lot. Biking in amsterdam is usually the fastest way and its overall way healthier for you long term. But here are some other points:

  • Usually around 21-25 days of vacation, you generally get 8% on top of your gross salary in May as your vacation pay.
  • You will never get into medical debt like you can in the US. There is a mandatory insurance, but you are looking at like 125euro a month / 135 with dental
  • If you have kids their university will be significantly cheaper while producing strong students.
  • being multi-lingual gets you jobs for dutch companies, sure, but there are a lot of multi national companies here hiring like all the time. I’ve also worked for dutch companies without speaking dutch.
  • if you are recruited into the NL there is the 30% ruling which is significant to increase your take home for 5 years. -while taxes are higher than in the states you will find that things generally work and arent crumbling, like 4 clicks to do your taxes (5 minutes of your life)
  • dutch workplace directness is great once you understand it.
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Celtictussle t1_j5z1xx9 wrote

>As for the take home pay, you are missing out a lot.

It was a 2 sentence post, it wasn't meant to be comprehensive. All your points are accurate, but my take away is still accurate; you will likely be poorer in the Netherlands than in the US with the same job, and this is backed by disposable income stats.

If you're willing to trade being a little poorer for better social safety nets and a beautiful, walkable city, that's great. It's nice when everyone is allowed to make choices that fit their preferences.

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