Country dossier · Living
🇺🇸 United States
Living guide: real net salary, cost of living, taxes, health and quality of life, with source for every figure.
- Region
- North America
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Languages
- English (no federal official language; Spanish widely spoken)
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
- Population
- ≈ 340 million
- Time zone
- UTC-5 to UTC-10 (multiple time zones)
- Blocs
- Outside the EU (Schengen), category based visa system, no single points score
The United States offers the largest scale of professional and salary opportunity on this list, especially in tech and finance, but the immigration system is fragmented by visa category, with no single points score like in other countries, and healthcare is not public: most of the population depends on health insurance tied to employment. Cost of living and income tax itself vary a lot by state, which makes "how much does it cost to live in the United States" a question with no single answer. It's worth it for those with real qualifications who accept a thinner social safety net in exchange for scale of opportunity.
United States at a glance
Language and regions
English is the dominant language, with no federal official language status by law, and Spanish has a real presence in states bordering Mexico and in cities with a strong Latino community, like Miami. The country is vast, with 50 states that vary a lot in economy, climate, and culture: New York and the east coast concentrate finance and media, California concentrates tech, and the midwest and south have a more industrial and agricultural profile.
Climate and geography
The climate varies by region almost as if they were different countries: harsh winters in the northeast and midwest, desert climate in the southwest, subtropical in the southeast (Florida), and Mediterranean along the California coast. The territory includes mountains, vast agricultural plains, desert, and coastline on two different oceans, plus Alaska and Hawaii.
What the country lives on
The economy is the largest in the world, with strength in tech (Silicon Valley), finance (New York), energy (Texas), and entertainment (Los Angeles). Nominal salary is among the highest in the world for a qualified profession, but the cost of private health insurance and the lack of a broad social safety net, such as legally guaranteed paid vacation, weigh on the real calculation.
Education
Public education is free but locally funded, which creates real quality differences between neighborhood and school district, even within the same city. Public universities charge much higher tuition to those who aren't state residents, and prestigious private universities (like the Ivy League) are among the most expensive in the world, though also among the most internationally recognized.
Culture and integration
Work culture values long hours and fast career mobility, with hiring and firing more agile than in a European country. Communication tends to be direct. Social integration varies a lot by region: a large coastal city tends to be more diverse and used to foreigners; a smaller inland city may require greater cultural adaptation.
Fun facts
- There's no federal law guaranteeing paid vacation, paid sick leave, or a 13th salary, unlike most developed countries.
- The healthcare system isn't public: most of the population depends on private health insurance, usually tied to employment.
- Income tax adds a federal layer and, in most states, an additional state layer, with nine states having no state income tax at all.
- American citizens are taxed on worldwide income even while living outside the country for the rest of their lives, one of only two countries in the world with that rule.
- The country spans six different time zones, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, plus Alaska and Hawaii.
Net salary, summarized
Source: national medians (OECD/Eurostat) + calculator formulaJust to show the ballpark of what you earn. Tax and cost of living take a chunk. Three sample professions, junior to senior. The full calculation, for your role, level, family, and currency, is the Living calculator.
| Profession | Junior | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software developer | US$ 5.811 | US$ 7.105 | US$ 10.478 |
| Financial analyst | US$ 4.509 | US$ 5.525 | US$ 8.192 |
| Nurse | US$ 4.064 | US$ 4.984 | US$ 7.405 |
Estimated net monthly, after progressive tax, in dollars (site base). Calculate for your role, level, and currency →
Cost of living, what you actually keep
Source: basket for couple + 2 children (Numbeo) + local health and school rules| Housing (rent)≈ 40% of cost | US$ 2.240 |
| Food | US$ 1.210 |
| Transport | US$ 504 |
| Utilities and internet | US$ 437 |
| Recreation and other | US$ 1.210 |
| Healthcare (private plan required)fixed cost, does not decrease with lower income | US$ 1.300 |
| Children's schoolpublic viable for non-residents | included |
| Total cost per month | US$ 6.900 |
Spending pattern (housing + living only)
Local tax, health, and school rules change how much is left at month end.
Family and immigration
Visa and spouse work rules; local values estimatedQuality of life
Indices: GPI, PISA, WHO, WHR, Ookla, EF EPI, CPI (0 to 10)Life
Daily
Institutions
Verdict
It's worth it for a qualified professional in a high demand sector, especially tech and finance, willing to accept private healthcare and a thinner social safety net in exchange for salary and scale of opportunity with no direct equivalent in another country. The work visa system is fragmented by specific category, with no single points score, and the green card queue can take years, especially for applicants born in a country with historically high visa demand, like India and China. It's less worth it for those who prioritize a broad social safety net or don't have enough qualification for the more direct visa routes. A real point of concern: comparing salary between states without accounting for the difference in tax and health cost is the most common mistake made by those researching the country from abroad.
Complete guide: United States
This page is the sample. The guide is the complete map.
Everything you saw here, deeper and actionable: from first visa step to moving day, sourced for every fact.
- Visa and sponsorship, step by step
- Cities and regions compared
- Health insurance: how to choose
- Retirement, taxes, and local rules
- Useful links: housing, bank, jobs
Imagine yourself here.
Photos: Timo Wagner, Robert Bye, Triston Dunn · Unsplash
Frequently asked questions
How does the work visa system work in the United States?
There's no single points system like in other countries: the work visa is split by category, with the H-1B (for specialty occupations) being the most common, subject to an annual lottery because of the limited quota. Permanent residence (green card) goes through its own category, with a queue that can take years, especially for applicants born in a country with historically high demand, like India and China.
How does the healthcare system work?
There's no universal public system. Most of the population has private health insurance, usually offered by the employer, with the total cost of family coverage (company plus employee) close to 27 thousand dollars a year in 2025, of which around 6.9 thousand comes out of the worker's pocket. Those without an employer plan can buy on the regulated marketplace (ACA), with premium and subsidy varying by income.
Does tax vary a lot between states?
Yes, really so. Nine states charge no state income tax at all (like Texas and Florida), while others, like California and New York, add more than 13% on top of federal tax. Comparing gross salary between states without accounting for this is a common mistake.
Is it true the cost of living varies a lot within the country?
Yes. Cities like New York and San Francisco have rent among the most expensive in the world, while a mid sized city in the midwest or south can have a much lower cost of living, sometimes less than half, while still offering a competitive salary in a specific sector.
Ready to go beyond the summary?
View the complete guide: United States