Salary expectations, Germany vs. USA

Hi Everybody Wife got a job in Germany. I have to find a job - dah
Could you be so kind to tell me what salary is good to have a great standard of living? In USA the dollars paid are good - he and pple spend. I hear the Euros paid suck. One day one may want to come back to America. What is a good salary to earn in Germany - so when back in the US one has a good standard of living, good investments, does not feel like they should have stayed in America yada yada... In the USA easy now to get a salary of US $160k. What is that equivalent to in Germany - not exchange rate but salary wise -. What does Euros50K, 65K, 75K, 85K or 100K mean or do? What lines of professions are paid very well. Can't find all this info on the net. I know it seems an open question - please help.
Thank you all.

Switched, I know that each person has a different set of work experience, skills and education, but I find it unlikely that it is correct to make the general statement " it is easy to find jobs in the US making $160,000." If, for you, it is easy to find such a job, you probably are a doctor, a lawyer, an investment banker, or a top manager, and most people would advise a person doing that well in the US to stay there, all other things being equal.

You might find the following useful: Salary levels for various jobs in Germany

Salary survey for Germany

One other thing, when converting from dollars to euros, I suggest using 1.12 dollars per euro, which The Economist posits is the Purchasing Power Parity rate between the two currencies.

Thanks for the early morning laugh and making me spit my coffee.

Conquistador - Thank you very much. This is very helpful.

"t is easy to find jobs in the US making $160,000."...do you work for Halliburton or something?

Lupo, You cannot get 160 000 when you hang around beer. When was the last time you looked for a job in the US? I am sure during the internet depression. Nearly all American corporate companies pay 160k to many folks.You sound like you do not know where you come from. Capitalist – running away from your shadow. Forget Halliburton. It pays many times 160K. FYI, many companies here in Germany are paying 85k and up to many including Americans who do not know German. You may want to go back to the US. Why not answer the question of the topic and ease out. Be professional and we can help each other in this forum.

Your thoughts betray you. Take a look at the census if you want to get an idea of US income statistics.

dude, census vs reality you do not know the difference. get educated.

Ha ha.

you are just not capable of answering the question in the topic. If you knew something at least...

Clear and correct English appears to be a concept which is alien to this thread. If the original poster would post something that actually makes sense then it might result in some useful replies.


This nonsense again. Unless you give a clear and sensible idea of what you consider to be a "great standard of living" then the question is like a broken pencil, pointless. A beggar from the streets of Bangalore might consider a 25qm apartment in Neuperlach Sud with €17.53 spending money per week to be a great standard of living. Someone else might require a penthouse apartment with jacuzzi and a chauffeaur-driven Bentley to be essential for a "great standard of living". Give decent information or else you can only expect to get crap back.


My reading comprehension lets me down here. What in the name of George Bush's left gonad does 'he and pple spend' mean?


In certain sectors, with certain levels of experience or with certain education levels it might, I repeat might, be easy to get this salary. As a general statement and without any information to qualify or back it up it's simply bollocks.


Open? Really? It doesn't just seem an open question, it's more open than a Ukranian hooker's legs. How in the name of all that's good and holy can you possibly expect to get any useful information at all if you are not going to ask questions properly and provide the necessary background information to both support whatever claims you are making and allow people to understand exactly what it is that you are trying to find out.

IrisMason, this last sentence is just for you. Please to be English speaking before you be telling to get educated*.

*for the cerebrally challenged, that last sentence was written poorly on purpose

Textbook case of a troll. I´d say.

And his wife.

Could the apparent status of his writing be the reason why his wife got the job?

sorry Keydeck. it is not me who wrote that question

I am tempted to say something to carry on in a crude direction but I shan't. I think if switched wants his question answered he might just have to put forward some information. It might help to know where in germany you are planning to go and what the hell it is that makes you so much money.

I would like to know if it is so easy to find a 160k job, does either of these nutters have one of those so easy to find high paying jobs?

Switched, 65K is good. US is a money making machine. Germany hmmn yes but not for salaries. If you plan to go back to America it is tricky unless you have good Trust Fund or you are making some cash. 45K would not be good for that. Remember most Americans who are here are not from poor families. Many have old money. They come for adventure and stuff. Some yeah for self imposed asylum.

Bad, meet worse.

I would actually like to assert that one can actually make some good money hanging around beer, you just have to do the right hanging around beer. I would like to know where you get your information or experience to back up our statement irismason.

@irismason: actually I just want to know where you get your experience thats some interesting stuff your throwing around.

iain, which one of my statements?

All your statements as of yet are pure hogwash.

I'm really enjoying reading this! There's nothing on TV worth watching, so what could be better than reading about two people, who well maybe the same person, claiming they can earn $160,000 a year with the English skills of a 6 year old.

My thoughts exactly.

I agree this is entertaining. There´s also a negative undertone trying to categorize us expats us antiquated, out of touch, rich, and I bet the next step is unpatriotic. Hence I said that your thoughts betray you Irismason - because it seems you have no clue what you´re talking about.

well not all expats are like that.

um so breweries aren't corporations? Go do some research! I actually know some people working for haliburton and 160k is not the norm no matter how inflated their stories might get. I think Lupo knows exactly where he comes from. I think you get fantasy and reality mixed up (where is father ted when you need him.)


erm hold on know census versus reality? once again knowing that person you are questioning is highly educated and following the statement you make I think it may be you who might need some reality.


you really think the only people that make it over here are rich adventure types who may or may not be eccentric, leaving the poor masses back in the americas? wow I need some of those drugs.

but i really have a good clue in what I am talking about. do not get that wrong though.

I find it somewhat curious that my response "Must be 160k in Pesos" got deleted for being "rude and not helpful"...yes VERY curious considering some of the other comments still here.

Keydeck, what is wrong with Neuperlach Sud?

post it again and see what happens

Talking shit doesn't require drugs, just a warped mind.

Come on so, I'm intrigued. Let's have some back up for your gibberish. Give.


All things considered nothing much, I just needed somewhere to include in the sentence which is considered to be at the lower end of the Munich property market in terms of value.


Here ya go

No, you really don't. Not even close.

A census is a census. We know that. Where do u place your self in the census. I am sure you know whether you are from east Hampton or one who was left to eat the grass during Katarina. Wherever you lie in the spectrum look ay yourself and other expats. Do not cheat your brains.

Yes American do leave the poor masses back in America. We are that selfish. Did you take one? We know that. Wake up!

hey talked about American companies therefore Am. Breweries are included not German. Hali cannot pay everyone 160k

There's a new tagline right there...

Toytown Germany
Do not cheat your brains.

You can't even write bad English like an American. So, what 160k job do you have?

I think I need a translator for that post!

wow I would totally come back with a kick ass come back and such and we could continue but I really cannot make to much sense out of what you are saying.

as for hali I thought you said 160 or multiple figures of that are the norm?

u kind of read everyday English like a Harvard nerd does. can't figure out what irony about cheat your brains mean. American English is kitchen English anyways.

I'm out. It's hurting my eyes.

If anyone wants a 160k job in America feel free to email me. I can explain. But I really cannot explain it on a thread which has gone biserck. Also try Switched. I know there are jobs like this for sure.

not to instigate things further, but i could defo use a 160k job. please let me know how to go about getting one and what the requirements are.
i'm serious. my stupid BA is getting me no where fast as is my job.

Run for your lives, its AMWAY!

I´m punching out as well.

sent you a message. got it?

Well for a start you're going to have to downgrade your English writing skills, that post was far too coherent!

I must say that although English is not my mother tongue, to me, the type of brokenness of irismason's English sounds exaclty the same as the one from Switched. Suggestively, irismason is a new user that just "Joined: Today, 7:49 pm" as soon as Switched (who "Joined: Today, 3:41 am") got some criticism in a post "Today, 5:45 pm".

I think the circumstantial evidence is strong enough

Well I see, some people are still stuck up with the English thing. They can't get over it. They are just chat addicts without much to contribute. If one sees their posts one can tell. After all their German sucks. Maybe they should perfect their German and make us Americans proud of knowing more languages because as someone said "census'. if we go by census then no American knows 2 languages.

yes, i received it. thank you.