Considering a Move from the USA to Europe for Love and Career – Have you made the leap?
Are you in a long-distance relationship with someone in Europe and considering relocating to be with them? Conflicted about how it may impact your career in tech? Here are some key questions to consider from those who have been through a similar experience:
### Career Transition:
– Did you keep your current job and work remotely, or did you find a new job at a European company?
– Were there challenges in transferring your tech credentials to Europe?
– Did you have to take a pay cut in your new job?
### Emotional and Practical Considerations:
– Did you experience homesickness after moving?
– Did you regret or feel conflicted about your decision at any point?
– How did the change in living arrangements and lifestyle impact you?
As someone making a comfortable living in the USA, contemplating a move to Europe can be daunting. If you’re concerned about financial stability or adjusting to a new way of life, you’re not alone. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of such a big move together! #USAEuropeMove #TechCareer #LongDistanceRelationship.
She’s not real
Get a real gf
Europe is a whole continent, you gotta be more specific. You can earn a lot more than $75k per year in Switzerland, Amsterdam, London, Dublin but a lot less in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria etc. It also depends on your skills, level, niche.
I’ve worked in UK and moved to US because I can make 2-3x more money doing basically the same type of work, there is nowhere better in the world to work in tech than the US. The compensation, opportunities, and mindset in the US is far more conductive to financial and professional growth in my opinion. That being said, the quality of life in Europe is really nice, and the cost of living is much lower.
It is possible to get the best of both worlds (if you can work remotely, or you have very in demand skills like quant finance coding you can make similar amount in EU), but it’s the exception to the rule. I’d say whether this is the right choice is impossible for strangers on the Internet to answer.
Also the grass is always greener, many immigrants/expats in Europe find it difficult to really integrate themselves. Sure, you’ll have your girlfriend, but you’ll never be Dutch or Irish, and every interaction you have will be tainted by the knowledge you are not really accepted by society (or so I’ve heard). The UK is different in that regard, White British people not a majority in London anymore, so it’s a lot easier to integrate.
I have an LDR and simply put if I had the money to move dawg I’d do it without even thinking. You have a great career and job and all that, I’d just take the hit, happiness is key and if the love is there, why not just jump and take a new experience. Idk. I’d do it if I was you.
Works out for me so far. I was really overworked while making $75k in DFW after college, but now pulling about €170k in Ireland as a contractor, paying less tax than the US. Im saving around €120,000 a year at the moment into my self managed pension account.
There are a lot things you cant really buy with money. I find my life less stressful here. I have more rights even as a contractor and even eligible for unemployment. Healthcare feels a bit worse but also less expensive.
The culture here is a bit different here though, a lot less capitalistic/consumerism. Some might hate it though. The only thing I miss is the damn ice machine. They don’t normally put ice in drinks here.
Opportunity to do exciting work is far greater in the US. But for me I just want to collect my paycheck and enjoy my life.
I was in an LDR with someone living in Europe whilst I lived in the US. I closed the distance, as it was easier for me to move to Europe and she refused to move to the US.
My job was able to transfer, since my company had offices in both locations and were willing to transfer me. The main reason that they were willing to transfer me is that the visa cost and relocation cost were minimal compared to the savings on my salary. I had to take a massive pay cut (earning less than a third of what I did in the US). I have fewer savings as cost of living is higher here and taxes are as well. I also have to spend a lot of money on travel if I wish to see family and friends back home.
I will say it wasn’t great for my career progression, as both upward mobility and job opportunities are severely limited. The US has many more opportunities in tech, and if you are on a visa that is tied to your current employment, then you will have difficulties finding other jobs willing to sponsor you. Don’t make the move if you are expecting to earn anywhere near what you are earning now or if you want to make meaningful career moves in the near future.
It is a difficult move and adjusting to a lower quality of life can take time. However, it is up to you to determine what you want to prioritise, money or love.
I’ve got a friend who worked at Microsoft in the States. He took a 50% pay cut to come work in the UK. But he now gets 35 days holiday instead of 10, and he’s met his wife here and had a kid. Afaik he’s here to stay.
He would tell you that he’s better off now than when he was making more in the US.
American living in Czech Republic
As others have said you’re going to have to be more specific to get good feedback
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend making those sacrifices (not just the move, the lower salary and change in career) for a LDR. If you two had lived together and already knew that’s what you wanted it would be different but as it stands this is an experiment and you’re likely to resent your partner for any challenges you run into and there will be challenges
If you do move forward with this you need to go into this expecting it to be difficult. One of the biggest is that you’re going to have to get used to being the outsider. Continental Europe is broadly pretty nationalistic. Not in a militaristic wave the flag way but culturally. People will look at you differently, you will have situations where you’ll be harassed due to your accent or mistakes when speaking the language, the state will charge you more for basic services than they do natives and deny you services that you would be entitled to as an immigrant in the US. You just gotta suck it up or identify early that that’s not a compromise you’re willing to make
The beer gardens are great though and despite my warnings above, most people are lovely in most places. You just have to accept an increased amount of friction