Shiftscale

Compare two cities on the whole package: take-home pay after real tax rules, the cost of running your household, and the leave, childcare and healthcare…

A standard calculator tells you whether a city is cheaper on rent and groceries. That is the easy half. This one runs the real tax code, the cost of your household rather than a generic index, and the leave, childcare and healthcare you would gain or give up — then tells you the number.

I live in Berlin London Lisbon New York City Seattle Madrid Dublin Zurich Stockholm Copenhagen Athens

I'm considering Amsterdam Berlin London Lisbon Seattle Madrid Dublin Zurich Stockholm Copenhagen Athens

In in Amsterdam that is about the median full-time salary .

To keep the same standard of living, you need €48,050 in Amsterdam — 60% less than you earn now in nominal terms. The non-cash package is worth about €1,316 more a year there, which the headline number does not show.

Matching the non-cash package too would take €49,871. Paid leave is valued at the holder's own daily rate, so a higher-salary city scores well on leave value even with fewer days — compare the share of pay, not the absolute figure.

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Ask the internet whether Berlin is cheaper than New York and you get a percentage. It is derived from a basket of goods, and it quietly assumes the two of you keep the same share of your salary. You do not.

A senior engineer moving from Seattle to Amsterdam l