I'm looking at accepting a position here in Madrid and was wondering if anyone had an idea what take home to expect. It will be a managers position so it will be a better paying job.

Currently in Germany I take home about 68-70% of the gross (50 -55% for a single) that is one income and one depenant.

It would help alot if I had an idea what the take home might be in talking salary. If taxes are higher than I need more, if lower than I can accept less

thanks

Keep in mind that salaries in Spain are LOW for like-positions in the European Union. So, say you're making (for example) 30,000 Euros per year in Germany. In Spain for a similar position you might make 23-25,000 Euros (or less).

I'm pretty certain German salaries are MUCH higher than those in Spain. As for take-home pay after taxes, I don't know.

Good luck! Saludos, MadridMan

MM: I just returned from a week in Barcelona,and I cannot comprehend how a person can live on the salaries that you are quoteing. I read the real estate ads a both in the papers and on line, and this question has been the topic of a another thread. SOMETHING DOES NOT FIT.

desert dweller,

I can't really speak for MadridMan but I don't think that he was quoting an actual salary....just giving a mathematical example. I have friends who live in Germany and Spain. It seems to me that salaries in Germany appear to be higher. I am not sure however on taxation.

Gretchen6: My point is the cost of living in Europe seems to be very high. I'll give an example, while we were in Barcelona I purchased 2 shirts from El Corte Ingles, the shirts were cotton, and the bill was 110E. Nothing special, just 2 cotton short sleeve shirts. Now how, on the salary that MM is quoteing and others have done so as well, can people live? Mrs. Dweller and I looked at real estate north of Barcelona, towards Andorra, even before the exchange rates were calculated the prices were high. We will not talk about the prices in the UK. Based on our recent trip over, Spain and London makes San Francisco and Hawaii look like travel bargains.

I've noticed that myself the cost of living isn't that much lower than Germany, in Madrid rents are higher but utiitlites seem to be quite a bit cheaper. Food etc seems to be about the same.

From what I've heard 15 -25 percent seems to be normal. In other words you get 75 - 85 percent of your gross which is higher than Germany.

In general wages are 30% lower here, for example a Senior Manager in Germany makes 109.000 euros per year whereas in Spain it would be 75.000 or what a German manager would earn.

Spoke to a freind when she went "local" her wage dropped 12.000 euros, not sure what she was earning before.

In spite of low wages they seem to really party here.

Bad news everyone taxes aren't lower here they're much higher, looking at a 30 to 40 percent drop in take home based on the same gross wage. Secondly the company does 60-40 bonus structuer which means do your job and get 80% of net, go 200% and get the rest.

The worse of it is that the cost of living is 90 to 95 percent of Germany. How the hell can anyone afford to live here!

Not sure what we're going to do!

I dont know if this is what it is but it seems to be that I spend much less to live in Spain... I just came home from a trip the mall today in Florida and spent $250 on stuff I really dont need and can live without.. When I am in spain I spend a lot of money on food but not much else... eating out and food are my main expenses... I just dont go blow money in Spain like I do in the states... I am content with my fewer "things" but I feel I have a much higher quality of life in Spain

update, bit of math error

anything over 30.000 euros per year I would plan on 40 to 45 percent of your paychque gone. Everyone said you do get some back at the end of the year as they don't take into account dependants etc.

Tim Hortons Man: 40 to 45 percent in taxes held from your paycheck, well someone has to pay for that free medical plan, free university education, and the list goes on and on. When one sees the reduction in take home pay, and the reduced standard of living, those things do not seem so "free" any more do they?