Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 180 posts

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#31

Post by RealGeek »

niyazpk wrote: post #15

Bangalore, India Typical monthly wage for a programmer / designer: $600 to $1000. (This varies a lot, so there is no actual upper/lower limit) My expenses: Apartment Rent + Utilities: $80 Internet (1 Mbps): $23 Food: $135 Transport (Bike): $20 Books: $75 Contrast this with RealGeek's comment to get an idea on how different the expenses could be, depending on the person and the spending nature. Also keep in mind that…

Most of our expenses are similar, but apartment rent. How in Banglore did you get an apartment for $80? Its a steal :)

How much is your electricity bill? Do you use air condition and computer?

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#32

Post by zalew »

Warsaw, Poland

- single room flat $400-500 + expenses

- internet 6Mbps $20

- public transport $50

- restaurant downtown $10-30, sushi $30-40, kebab $3-4, mcdonald $4

- beer in a club/restaurant $3-4, 0.5 can of heineken $1.6, marlboro $4

wages are really flexible (to call it nicely), if you have clients you can make more on freelancing than even some good programmers on 9to5, a lot of good programmers are paid below average they should get but it really depends on the company. noob $700-800, avg/well-skilled $1100-2500, specialist $3000+. take it only as approx.

for the moment of writing this $1=2.8pln

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#33

Post by jacquesm »

ced wrote: post #29
jacquesm wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What did you live off without an income? Savings? That sounds like quite the adventure! Did you write about it somewhere?

Savings. While in Germany, I had a good (tax-free) stipend and I was hoarding ~800 euros/month, for a year. Living in Asia was an amazing experience, but honestly, there isn't that much "adventure" to write about. I wasn't traveling, since that's expensive-ish. My primary goal was to do research in AI. That turned out to be quite challenging, with the lack of good libraries and peers, but the freedom to work on whate…

Ok. Man I'm jealous ;) Not with the money, but with the trip :)

If you have the time please write it up while it is still fresh in your memory, so that us 'armchair Asia goers' can look through your eyes.

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#34

Post by kawera »

São Paulo, Brazil - converted to US$

Expenses

- Rent: small 300sqf one bedroom unfurnished apartment + utilities, in average area - $900/month

- Internet: $60 for 5mbps

- Cell phone: $150 for 300 minutes

- Bus or Metro ticket: $1.50

- Petrol: $5.20/gallon

- Movie ticket: $12

- Pizza, takeaway: $15

- Pizza, in restaurant: $25

- BigMac: $6

- Eating out, mid-market: $50 for 2 people

- Bread, whole: $3/pound

- Oranges: $1/pound

- Expresso: $1.50

- Beer, in bar: $4

- Haircut, men: $15

- Apple Mac mini, entry model: $1600 (high taxes but also high margin by Apple Brazil)

- Foreign books: amazon price x 2

Wages

- Programmers: $30k beginner, $50k mid-level, $70-$100k senior

- Webdesigner: $30-$60k

- Customer support rep: $15k

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#35

Post by willcannings »

aymeric wrote: post #9

Australia in AUD (about the same as USD these days): One bedroom rent in Sydney: $1200/month (EDIT: increased the rent based on comments) Food: $400 Wages:$60K-120K/year (gross) Internet:$50/month Phone: $50/month Bus ticket: $3.20 McDonalds Big Mac small meal: $6.45 -- By the way, I am looking to hire a Ruby on Rails developer for USD600/month in India / Philippines / Indonesia to help me develop my ideas. Please co…

I'd just add electricity to this list - I normally spend around ~$450 a quarter at a two bedroom place (in Sydney), so for one person you'd perhaps be looking ~$100 p.mth depending on whether you use air conditioning etc.

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#36

Post by niyazpk »

RealGeek wrote: post #31
niyazpk wrote: post #15

Bangalore, India Typical monthly wage for a programmer / designer: $600 to $1000. (This varies a lot, so there is no actual upper/lower limit) My expenses: Apartment Rent + Utilities: $80 Internet (1 Mbps): $23 Food: $135 Transport (Bike): $20 Books: $75 Contrast this with RealGeek's comment to get an idea on how different the expenses could be, depending on the person and the spending nature. Also keep in mind that…

Most of our expenses are similar, but apartment rent. How in Banglore did you get an apartment for $80? Its a steal :) How much is your electricity bill? Do you use air condition and computer?

The place I stay is relatively small and I would say that the rent is just right.

My electricity bill comes around 300-400 INR ($7-9). I don't have an AC - you don't need it in Bangalore. I have a laptop and an extra monitor. My Airtel DigitalTV is connected to the monitor so I don't have a separate TV.

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#37

Post by garply »

trevelyan wrote: post #7

Beijing, China $500 to $1000 in rent, plus equivalent amount food and entertainment for a non-stressful lifestyle. You can pare down costs to perhaps $800/month by getting a room in a shared apartment and eating inexpensively. Add on $2500 annual expenses for visa, entry-exit expenses, etc. Hiring programmers costs between $500 and $1500 per month depending on skills and experience. Without a legitimate Chinese busin…

Beijing, China

I live off about $400 / month, with $220 in rent (I split a relatively centrally-located apartment with a Western-style bathroom with my girlfriend). Most of the rest of the money goes to ordering / eating out, at about $1.50 / meal, and taxis. Riding to near locations (less than 10 RMB taxi fare) on my electronic bicycle cuts down taxi fares a bit.

I have a Chinese corporation, and it was indeed a pain in the ass and expensive to set up.

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#38

Post by rglullis »

kawera wrote: post #34

São Paulo, Brazil - converted to US$ Expenses - Rent: small 300sqf one bedroom unfurnished apartment + utilities, in average area - $900/month - Internet: $60 for 5mbps - Cell phone: $150 for 300 minutes - Bus or Metro ticket: $1.50 - Petrol: $5.20/gallon - Movie ticket: $12 - Pizza, takeaway: $15 - Pizza, in restaurant: $25 - BigMac: $6 - Eating out, mid-market: $50 for 2 people - Bread, whole: $3/pound - Oranges: $…

The dollar is what, now? R$1,70?

I guess we are talking about nicer areas, like Pinheiros, Vila Madalena or even Jardins. R$1500,00 for a 300sqf apartment? That is really, really expensive. For that price you can get a 2 1/2 bedroom close to Morumbi or Brooklyn.

Also, $4 for a beer? It has to be a really trendy, high-end club. How much does a large bottle of Original/Bohemia cost at a bar, or at a deli (padaria)?

Also, I used to have a R$50,00 fix-priced cell phone plan. I would talk about 120 minutes and unlimited text. We should highlight that in Brazil you only pay for originating calls. So I would either call from a landline or text most of the time I was on the go, so 120 minutes was more than enough.

Transportation: bus tickets was R$2,40 last I was over there. Metrô was R$2,25.

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#39

Post by mallipeddi »

Singapore

Monthly expenses - S$1600

  * Rent - S$900 (this will get you a room in a nice high-rise condominium with swimming pool/gym but you've to share the flat with 2 other flatmates).

  * Broadband - S$70

  * Mobile + Unlimited 3G plan - S$40-50

  * Food - S$400-500 (this will get you good tasty meals at hawker food stalls; not swanky restaurant dinners w/ alcohol).

  * Transportation - S$100-150 for public transport (forget about owning a car in Singapore, it's too expensive and unnecessary).
Monthly wages for programmers - S$3000-S$9000 (this range is wide because it heavily depends on your work exp and your employer).

Misc facts about SG

* Taxes are lower compared to other developed nations.

* Singapore is generally pro-immigration although they're trying to slow it down now.

* English-speaking country so makes things easier compared to Taiwan/HK/etc.

USD 1 = SGD 1.30 (as of today)

Re: Ask HN: Cost of living across the world (Ramen PPP Index for hackers)

#40

Post by [deleted] »

rglullis wrote: post #38
kawera wrote: post #34

São Paulo, Brazil - converted to US$ Expenses - Rent: small 300sqf one bedroom unfurnished apartment + utilities, in average area - $900/month - Internet: $60 for 5mbps - Cell phone: $150 for 300 minutes - Bus or Metro ticket: $1.50 - Petrol: $5.20/gallon - Movie ticket: $12 - Pizza, takeaway: $15 - Pizza, in restaurant: $25 - BigMac: $6 - Eating out, mid-market: $50 for 2 people - Bread, whole: $3/pound - Oranges: $…

The dollar is what, now? R$1,70? I guess we are talking about nicer areas, like Pinheiros, Vila Madalena or even Jardins. R$1500,00 for a 300sqf apartment? That is really, really expensive. For that price you can get a 2 1/2 bedroom close to Morumbi or Brooklyn. Also, $4 for a beer? It has to be a really trendy, high-end club. How much does a large bottle of Original/Bohemia cost at a bar, or at a deli (padaria)? Als…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN