Salary vs Living Expenses

[tightmoney]

find 600k a year a bit tight

[Me 2]

How on Earth do people manage on these small amounts? We struggle to maintain the standard of living for our family that we had back home in the UK on way, way  more than the sums mentioned here. By comparison we are rich as hell, but we find ourselves pinching pennies all the time. The rent (need 4 bedrooms), medical insurance, school fees, food bills and holidays home to visit the family every year suck us nearly dry. We have to think about it before eating out in good restaurants and we do curtail home entertainment to once or twice a month. We try to save the paltry amount left over for kids' universities and our eventual retirement, but it is tough. Wouldn't even consider coming here for less.

[family]

I agree.  If you have no housing and schooling in your contract, and you have a family and you do not want to make lifestyle adjustments (ie house in Australia/UK/USA/Canada etc) then you will need about $400k per year for a family to be comfortable.  At least we do.  Especially now given the rental situation - high rents erode any tax benefit of being here.

[expat too]

but what's the point of relocating if you're going to live exactly the same lifestyle as back home? you might just as well have stayed.

[Quality of Life]

Think it is about not taking a huge drop in the quality of lifestyle, rather than achieving a replica of the home country lifestyle. Why the hell would we come if we have to endure reduced circumstances and drop in lifestyle? I've been an expat for years. We don't go overseas for the fun of it (not unless we are single and responsibility free). We go overseas for the money and expect the same level of standard of living as in our home countries. It just ain't worth it otherwise.

[Not Always]

It is not always about the money.  Sometimes it can help your career path.  We are on our 2nd tour, at 4x the salary of the first tour, plus now in a very senior position.