Flyhayes

This is where Americans and Scandinavians vastly differ.
If you ask most Americans what they do, they will respond with what they do for a living. Ask a Scandinavian, and they will tell you what they are passionate about. US culture is tied to work and money. This is not the norm everywhere in the world. I think people are considered more happy in the Nordic countries since they generally have more opportunity to pursue the things that make them happy. Take for example Universities just for pensioners, what would seem like a novel idea here in the states isn't over there. Sure it might not have a practical application for someone who has aged out of the working populace, but it still carries with it significant benefits for the people.

Also we're talking about Social Democracies, not Socialist countries. Not understanding the distinction between the two often leads down an unnecessary rabbit hole.

Floobs

Does that ignore state taxes and sales taxes?

NEDude

I can only speak to the specifics of my situation. Before I moved to Scandinavia, I compared my wife's tax rate, and what she got from her taxes, and compared that with my tax rate and out of pocket costs for my family. This was nine years ago that I did the cost comparison, so things may be different now. My outlays included federal, state and local taxes, health insurance premiums, doctor visit co-pays (I have a child who had to see a doctor every two months), my student loan payments, and a small contribution to my kids college funds. My wife's outlays included the national and kommune taxes and nothing more as health insurance, doctor visits, her university education and her kids future education were all covered under the taxes. In the end my wife was paying a smaller percentage of her income in taxes than I was with lower taxes, along with health insurance, doctor co-pays, student loans, and my kids college funds. Plus, as she did not have to take out student loans, she was not saddled with that debt when it came to financing larger purchases, she had much greater overall purchasing power.

I do make a little bit less money than I did in the States, but overall I feel like I have a much higher quality of life now even though I live in a much more expensive city. But everyone's mileage is different, others may feel differently. (I feel like I need to highlight that because someone inevitably will come on and try and argue that I am wrong about my feeling like I have a higher quality of life. What works better for me may not work better for others. I enjoy knowing that my kids can get a good university or trade school education regardless of our family finances. I like knowing my family can walk down the street to the doctor's office knowing it will not cost us anything. I like knowing a medical emergency will not bankrupt my family. I enjoy being guaranteed six weeks of annual vacation and having 120 days of paid sick leave available every year.)

sailingfun

You overlook the 25% VAT in Sweden yet account for everything down to local taxes in the US. That’s a huge swing. There are also numerous options for low or no cost college education in the US. In fact the difference in debt at graduation between Sweden and the US is small but the US degree produces a higher income.
https://qz.com/85017/college-in-swed...w-can-that-be/

NEDude

You are partially correct (although I live in Denmark, not Sweden, but it is 25% here too). VAT is included in the prices you see at the store, so it is easy to overlook. If an item is shown as 100 DKK, that is the price you pay when you check out. You don't pay 100 DKK, plus another 25%. So in that respect, you are correct that I did not include that. But when doing the calculations of what I had in the States (New York), versus what my wife had in Denmark, I did not include the State sales tax I paid on store bought items. What I figured was our income taxes, medical insurance/co-pays, and educational expenses. After subtracting those things, what did each of us have left over to spend on day to day goods and services? Based on that, my wife had a higher percentage of her income to spend on day to day goods and services.

I see you edited your post a little while I was posting mine. I cannot speak to the Swedish education system, or the debt incurred there. But in Denmark students get a monthly stipend, called Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU), which is around $900-$1000 USD per month. SU significantly reduces the need for loans. If a student lives on their own, collects SU, works a part-time job, and lives in the student dormitories, they can graduate with zero debt. Both my wife and brother-in-law (he got a master's degree) completed their education with no debt. My oldest is currently studying at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) while living at home, and has no student loans. His SU covers his monthly transportation, his books and supplies, and some spending money. There is an option to take out loans against SU, but the biggest problem is EU students taking out SU loans and then defaulting on them when they go home.

dera

Sales taxes would skew the statistics even more, given that "sales tax" in many European countries is 20-25%.

NEDude

"Sales Tax" in Europe is the VAT we have been talking about.

727C47

A good friend of mine lives in Copenhagen ( Irish/ US dual citizenship) , with his Danish wife, he is very happy for many of the reasons you have posted here. God bless, and Godspeed you.

dera

I know. That's why I put the "" in there.