Expat Community > Luxembourg

CarlosFelipe
Joined 2015
Posts: 1

Highest per-capita but, was it worth it?

9 years ago

Hi, an existential question for those living more than 1 year already in Luxembourg.
I'll put my experience in Norway as an example. And please, I don't take this as criticism or be offended, I just want to be transparent, since so many taboos avoid expats wannabes to have the proper information before taking a decision.
Following the facts.
I arrived to Norway and found everything beautiful, I quickly get a job in a little shop, and few months later as a software developer (my education). Working in a shop for €16 per hour looked pretty attractive at the beginning, but the fact is that they call you only 2 or 3 shifts a week, and taxation at this level takes back around 10%. That's the common rule for the low level services sector (hotels, restaurants), which is just enough to pay a room (€450 the cheapest) with shared bathroom and kitchen in a tiny house in the center with any sort of people, mostly foreigners. A small flat is around €9000 the cheapest. Food is extremely expensive and not much variety. Drinks are prohibitive.
As programmer I got a salary of €4000 which around 30% is given back as taxes, so I get paid cash only €2700. No taxes in June and December gives me 2 months at €4000 cash.
In my company we have 5 weeks vacation plus extra days in Christmas and Eastern (~1 week each). So I took 10 days Eastern, 3 weeks summer and 3 weeks Christmas-New Year. Living with maximum restrictions I can save around €1000 a month.
That's about economics.
About, social life, none. Norwegians are in general very closed, I still don't have the Facebook of my workmates (in 1.5 years). They are extremely patriotic, so whatever is national is good (proud even of their flaws), and whatever is from abroad must be something bad or dangerous.
That reduces also the possibilities to get a partner.
Obviously you won't be rich here. You won't have a rich social life. Weather is awful. Seriously, I cannot imagine myself living the rest of my life here, unless a substantial rise in the salary allows me to fly away every weekend.
The expats I met share most of this feelings.
Can anyone give a comparison in the Luxembourg scenario?
Thank you very much for the honesty.

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