# Cost of living and salary



## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

This is going to be a difficult question to ask. So before you answer read the entire post please.

As I have stated in a previous post I have a bachelor in economics and almost a masters.
However, I have very little experience in the field. So for me it's more likely that I can get a "ok" job with a "normal" income. Nothing too fancy. Yes I'm basing this on my Swedish experience and using that on the US job market which might not apply at all, that's why I'm asking here.

What can be considered as a "ok" salary in the surroundings of Miami? What is a normal to recieve in bills? What I mean by that is rent, electricity, gas, healthcare and so on. Here in Sweden we are spoiled with everything almost. I know that in the US medical care and insurances costs more than here. Also I tried to look at the taxes. But honestly the tax law seems more confusing than ours. I found out the federal tax and that Florida have no state tax only sales tax and property tax. Is there a county tax? Do the employer pay that or do I need to do that myself?

This is only for my planning and I only want to get an average overlook of some things that I might have forgotten to take into consideration. As I said, we Swedes are spoiled brats more or less.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Robbie75 said:


> What can be considered as a "ok" salary in the surroundings of Miami?


That depends on your lifestyle expectations, and only you can determine them.

However, it is relatively easy to look at the _median_, i.e. "typical," income experiences of individuals and households in Miami-Dade County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau the total money income (meaning, not including any in-kind benefits such as Medicaid) per individual per year in Miami-Dade County is about $23,200 (2013 dollars). Per household it's about $43,100 (2013 dollars). That is to say that half of individuals (and households) in Miami-Dade County are actually living on less than those figures and half more.

When I point out these easily obtainable and verifiable figures invariably somebody jumps in and says, "Oh, I couldn't possibly live in Miami-Dade County on that amount." Which, I assume, is true _for that person_. Yet the fact remains: half of the population of Miami-Dade County does live on those amounts or less.

According to the U.S. government's definition of poverty, the U.S. government thinks that about 19% of Miami-Dade County residents live below the poverty line. In other words, those median figures are well above poverty levels according to the U.S. government's definition.



> What is a normal to recieve in bills? What I mean by that is rent, electricity, gas, healthcare and so on.


I interpret this question as what would a recent immigrant (specifically -- citizens and long-term residents may be different) have to pay for versus what does the state or local government provide as an in-kind benefit. Let's go through your list....

Housing: Yes, you'd pay for that.
Electricity: Yes, you'd pay for that, either directly or indirectly through your rent.
Gas: Not really simply because Miami is warmer than Sweden. To the extent you need heating and cooking it's likely it'd be in the form of electricity, and you'd pay for that. If you want to turn on the air conditioner (many people do except in the winter) that will also be reflected in your electricity bill.
Medical Care: This is a slightly complicated, but the basic answer is that yes, you would pay something to the degree you use medical services. Your employer will often provide medical insurance, or, if not, you can buy medical insurance through a government marketplace (Healthcare.gov). Either way the cost of your medical insurance will likely be subsidized. If through your employer it's subsidized because it's a tax free in-kind benefit. If through Healthcare.gov then you are eligible to receive subsidies depending on your level of income. Medical insurance does not typically cover _every_ medical expense because the insurance typically has a deductible (the amount you must pay each year before insurance starts to pay), co-pays (the amount or percentage you must pay as a share of the cost of each service), and non-covered services (services/medicines you must pay for entirely because they are not essential medical services or because you obtained them from a medical provider that the insurance company does not cover). Note that long-term care (in a nursing home, for example) is a non-covered service under standard medical insurance.

Then let's add some things that weren't on your list....

Food: Yes, you'd pay for that. (The food in Miami is generally interesting and excellent, by the way -- at least many people think so.) If you try to eat only exactly what you eat in Sweden you'll pay more, but otherwise if you "eat local" you'll pay less, probably a lot less.
Water and sewer: Yes, you'd pay for that, either directly or indirectly.
Education and childcare: Relevant if/when you have children. Yes, you'd pay for that, with the notable exception of public primary and secondary schools (generally 13 years of schooling: "K through 12"). There are also a lucky few who qualify for free university educations due to scholarships (music, athletic, need-based, etc.) University students (and/or their parents) can take out student loans, and there's a fairly attractive income-based repayment plan often available for direct-to-student loans.
Telecommunications: Yes, you'd pay for that. Increasing numbers of households are doing without traditional wired telephone service and just relying on mobile phone service. (Shop around.) Wired Internet service is also available.
Entertainment: There are many free (to you) options (e.g. public libraries, public beaches) and of course non-free options.
Transportation: Yes, you'd pay for that. The U.S. really does not have a "company car" employment culture because that benefit is not particularly tax subsidized in that way. However, roads and, to a lesser extent, public transportation are heavily government funded in the U.S. as they are in most developed countries. Gasoline and other private automobile costs are comparatively much lower with the possible exception of automobile insurance (mandatory). Miami does have a decent public transportation system, and you can save a considerable amount of money if you can avoid the expense of a private automobile. Increasing numbers of Americans, particularly younger Americans, are never bothering to get drivers licenses. (Cue the follow-up posters who insist they cannot possibly live without a car. Well, that's them. The fact is _many_ people in Miami-Dade County don't own private automobiles, and many are very happy not to. It depends on your situation and lifestyle expectations.)
Taxes: Generally lower than in Sweden, probably much lower. ("You get what you pay for.") Mercifully the United States does not have Value Added Tax (VAT), much less a high one. The sales tax rate in Miami-Dade County is currently 7% with some exemptions. Income taxes and social insurance taxes are also generally lower than in Sweden. (By the way, yes, the U.S. and Sweden have a social security treaty which means that you can typically qualify for U.S. Social Security retirement benefits if you contribute to the U.S. system within at least two calendar years -- which might be working less than two years. That assumes that you also have eight or more years of contributions to the Swedish system -- and/or to the social security systems in other treaty countries. It's a very good deal, actually.) Property taxes you will only pay directly if you own property; otherwise they're indirect (your landlord pays, and your rent helps him/her pay property tax). There are no state or local income taxes in Florida, only federal income tax. Your employer will withhold income and social insurance taxes, but you still must file an annual federal tax return based on your worldwide income. You will also need to report all foreign financial accounts if their total value hits at least $10,000.
Other Cost of Living Factors: "Stuff" like clothing, household goods, alcohol, restaurants, etc. generally costs less in the United States. I'm fond of saying the U.S. is a consumer's paradise. It's just such a large, competitive, efficient consumer market.
Travel to/from Sweden: Be sure to include these costs if you want to visit Sweden a couple times a year, for example.
Other Expenses?


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

One slight correction concerning public transit in Miami: Miami's "Metromover" trains are free to ride. The rest of Miami's public transit system charges fares, though there are some passengers that can ride free (e.g. most seniors).


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## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

Thank you for the answer.

I have been looking at the Healthcare.gov site. It was a complete jungle of different options. It will take me some time to sort through that and understand it. But it will be ok I have the time.

That the taxes are lower in Sweden is not a surprise since we have one of the worlds highest. The median income seems ok considering that taxes are lower and cost of food might be cheaper than here. And as you said, it's the median salary so I might get more or less for my first job. But I think I could live with that. 

In your opinion, where is the best place to live in US if I hate cold weather and snow? A bit strange since I live in a cold country (right now it's 30 degrees, or -1).


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You need to be wary of statistical data on "cost of living" whether for a town or for an area in general. It takes into account many of the seriously poor people living in the area, as well as the super rich.

That said, as a newly graduated economics major, you need to consider the likelihood of being able to find the sort of job where you would be sponsored for a work visa. (And to work in the US, unless you're marrying a US citizen, you will pretty much need an employer sponsored work visa.)

There are some advantages to that, however, in that part of the deal for obtaining work authorization is that the employer must show that the foreigner has a certain level of qualification and that the position pays a certain level of salary (which will most likely be more than adequate for your needs). There is also a fair likelihood that, in a position that qualifies for a work visa, there is very likely to be employer sponsored health coverage (though you may have to pay for part of that - and you will have to pay the co-pays, deductibles, etc.).

Unfortunately, too, "a "ok" job with a "normal" income" may not be adequate to justify an employer sponsoring you for a work visa. Another route is to find a job where you are with an international company (preferably an American based one) and work your way toward an intercompany transfer. It will take a number of years, but that will help you develop the competencies needed to qualify. (And taking a transfer means that the employer jumps through all the visa hoops for you.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

The statistical data I usually look at is pricing for different products or services. Salary is not so accurate all the time as you point out. Usually I use a rough estimate on how much things cost and then see how much money I need to make in order to have that kind of living. If the jobs I'm qualified for doesn't pay enough I will need to rethink my plans.

I have never considered me to be so valuable to an employer that they would sponsor me with a visa. When I have looked around the requirements seems to high for my education. But since you know alot more than me about how it works over there I will have a look on that too. Do you have any suggestions where to start my search for a company that can sponsor? Otherwise the DV-lottery is my ticket over there. If I don't get selected I will have to try next year if it's available. And of course I will check the possibility of a sponsored work visa.

I have tried to get a job in an international company. However here in Sweden it's very difficult. We have a high unemployment rate in my city. Many jobs are in Stockholm but there is no housing. There is also this catch 22. You won't get a job if you don't have a place to live and no place to live without a job. Since all education is free here there is alot of people studying for a bachelor or masters if they can't find a job the competition is very tough.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Robbie75 said:


> In your opinion, where is the best place to live in US if I hate cold weather and snow?


Based _solely_ on that criterion, the State of Hawaii would have to be on your short list. However, there are many options. Parts of California are interesting, for example, because you can stay warm (or hot) at home and avoid snow as long as you want but also take a relatively short drive or bus ride to ski during the winter months.

If you want the _sunniest_ U.S. city -- taking a guess since you're coming from Sweden -- that'd almost certainly be Yuma, Arizona, with the sun shining about 90% of daylight hours. [Now that's light therapy! ] However, at night Yuma has had a record low temperature of -6 Celsius (in December and January), though that's by definition very rare, and there's just not enough moisture to get snowfall. (The mountains around Yuma can get a bit, but Yuma's last snowfall in the city itself was in 1932.) Yuma's average low temperature at night during the middle of winter is a bit above +8 Celsius.

Oddly enough you can completely avoid cold weather and snow in Minneapolis, Minnesota. How is that possible? Well, Minneapolis has about 8 miles (and growing) of "Skyway": interior, fully climate controlled pedestrian bridges and walkways that connect offices, shops, apartment buildings, parking facilities, theaters, etc. -- even a Target store. You can literally live through winter in your t-shirt. [Aren't those former Swedes practical? ]


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

As a follow-up, if you're looking for the smallest variation in daylight hours between winter and summer then the U.S. territory of American Samoa wins, and among the 50 U.S. states Hawaii wins. In the continental U.S. it would be Key West, Florida. After that other parts of Florida win (though not all of Florida) until Brownsville, Texas, ranks.

Speaking of Brownsville, that city rarely gets snow. It got 1.5 inches (nearly 4 cm) in 2004, very appropriately on Christmas Eve. (Could you really object to that?) The 2004 snowfall was the first time Brownsville got measurable snow since 1899, a particularly weird year. In 1899 even Cuba experienced a hard frost, the Port of New Orleans was full of ice, and southern Florida also got a fair amount of snow.

San Diego, California, is another city with what most people consider to be great weather. It's California's southernmost city along the Pacific Coast. Yet even San Diego has seen some snow, particularly in 1967 when the snowfall was measurable down at lower elevations.

OK, I'll stop there.  You have lots of options, though.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Robbie75 said:


> I have never considered me to be so valuable to an employer that they would sponsor me with a visa. When I have looked around the requirements seems to high for my education. But since you know alot more than me about how it works over there I will have a look on that too. Do you have any suggestions where to start my search for a company that can sponsor? Otherwise the DV-lottery is my ticket over there. If I don't get selected I will have to try next year if it's available. And of course I will check the possibility of a sponsored work visa.


Unfortunately, it's rather difficult to search for a job that comes with sponsorship. You really have to have something "outstanding" to offer in order to make it worth the employer's time and effort to sponsor a visa. And if you do manage to land a job with visa sponsorship, it will be a matter of moving to wherever the job is located. But that's a start.

Should you manage to "win" the DV lottery, you'll want to head for an area where there is good job potential. You could try searching for jobs that interest you (ignoring the visa issue for the time being) in any of the big online job boards - Monster, LinkedIn, etc. See if you can spot a pattern or an area that looks promising. Cause in any event, most employers will be far more receptive to an application or an inquiry from someone already in the area (and with working papers) than to overseas candidates. 

Or find a company or three that particularly interest you, and check out what specific qualifications they are looking for. While you're waiting to hit on the lottery, you can work on developing those skills - either on your own, or with a local employer.
Cheers,
Bev


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Bevdeforges said:


> Should you manage to "win" the DV lottery, you'll want to head for an area where there is good job potential.


The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes state level official unemployment rates every month. You can also often find metro-level unemployment figures to get some idea of local labor market conditions.

At the moment the state-level data show that Hawaii's labor market is rather good for employees with an official unemployment rate of 3.5%. Utah is doing pretty well at 3.7%, and southern Utah would probably fit your weather requirement. St. George, Utah, for example averages 3.6 cm of snow per year. Average low in the middle of winter is about -1, and the record low (in January) was -24, so it can get cold at night -- a common phenomenon in the desert.

Texas is next at 4.1% currently. Then it's a big drop to Florida at 5.3% -- worse than the national rate.

For the record, the state with the lowest unemployment rate currently is Nebraska (2.8%) followed closely by North Dakota. Both experience winter weather. [Have you ever seen the film or recent TV series "Fargo"? ]

Speaking of Fargo, you guessed it: the Fargo "Metropolitan Statistical Area" (MSA) has America's lowest unemployment rate currently at 2.2%. A great many MSAs with serious winter weather (and summer tornadoes) follow Fargo until you get to slightly warmer (but not warm by Texas standards, and still tornado-filled) Amarillo, Texas at 3.1%. Honolulu is the unquestionably non-wintery MSA with the lowest unemployment rate, also 3.1%, though Austin, Texas, and Midland, Texas, are close behind at 3.2%, both fairly mild in the winter. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina and several other cities in Texas also do well. California's best performing labor market is in Silicon Valley (4.1% in San Jose, 4.2% in San Francisco) which probably isn't a big surprise. If you're poor and unemployed you cannot afford to hang around Silicon Valley that long. Florida's strongest local labor market is Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin (4.5%) in northwestern Florida -- not as warm as Fort Myers, for example.

Among other cities previously mentioned: San Diego (5.1%), Brownsville (6.8%), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach (5.7%), Yuma (26.9%). Yes, most sunny Yuma currently has the highest unemployment rate among MSAs that the BLS tracks. Sorry about that, but it is sunny.

As a generalization, more winter weather means better employment prospects.


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## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

Bevdeforges said:


> Unfortunately, it's rather difficult to search for a job that comes with sponsorship. You really have to have something "outstanding" to offer in order to make it worth the employer's time and effort to sponsor a visa.


That was my thought too. I don't feel that I have the qualifications needed yet. Perhaps in the future but not right now.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Macro level employment statistics aren't particularly helpful for individuals, particularly foreigners, due to the visa requirements.

Really, and truly, you can learn lots from searching sites like Monster and LinkedIn as if you were already cleared for work. It will give you an idea of what specific skills and qualifications employers in your line of work are looking for, as well as the names of companies that seem to be doing alot of hiring at the moment - and where they are looking for new hires.

It can give you plenty of ideas for how to improve your CV (called a resumé in the US) and might suggest specific places or companies to keep in mind (in case you win the DV lottery). The main thing is to make sure you're in position to jump on any opportunity that might present itself out of the blue some time. (That's basically how I landed here in Europe.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## daygl0 (Aug 12, 2015)

Another common and relatively easier way to get in to the US is through education. Do you have any interest in furthering your studies? How much of your studies are left and could you get a fellowship to do some here? Take another degree ? It's much easier to find jobs once you're in-country and perhaps some US-based education would strengthen your CV. The downside is cost of course, hence the fellowship suggestion. Anyways, just a thought.

EDIT: found this: http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/New-York/Study-in-Sweden/Grants-and-Scholarships/
scroll to bottom and it has the orgs that fund Swedes to go to the US for education


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## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

Bevdeforges said:


> Macro level employment statistics aren't particularly helpful for individuals, particularly foreigners, due to the visa requirements.
> 
> Really, and truly, you can learn lots from searching sites like Monster and LinkedIn as if you were already cleared for work. It will give you an idea of what specific skills and qualifications employers in your line of work are looking for, as well as the names of companies that seem to be doing alot of hiring at the moment - and where they are looking for new hires.
> 
> ...


I have actually never worked in economics before. Besides a short while this summer. I have actually been a cab driver for 12 years before I started studying. But I will continue to check those sites and see what pops up. I have had some small jobs during my years doing everything for cleaning to manufacturing small metal bolts. So I can do basically anything just to make some money.


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## Robbie75 (Sep 30, 2015)

daygl0 said:


> Another common and relatively easier way to get in to the US is through education. Do you have any interest in furthering your studies? How much of your studies are left and could you get a fellowship to do some here? Take another degree ? It's much easier to find jobs once you're in-country and perhaps some US-based education would strengthen your CV. The downside is cost of course, hence the fellowship suggestion. Anyways, just a thought.
> 
> EDIT: found this: Grants and Scholarships for Study and Research | SwedenAbroad
> scroll to bottom and it has the orgs that fund Swedes to go to the US for education


I only have my master thesis left to do. Hopefully that will be done soon. The scholarships are very difficult to recieve. I tried a few years back but at that time I didn't qualify. I have a few friends that have tried to get one though. Even if I have a better chance of being selected in the DV-lottery I will try to apply for one. Too bad I have to wait until september next year. But at least I have time to prepare my application.


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