I'm Much Happier Living In Belgium Than In The U.S. - Here's How Much It Costs
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- Опубликовано: 23 май 2024
- Jessica van Dop DeJesus, 45, relocated with her family from Washington, D.C. to Brussels, Belgium in 2021. Last year, Jessica and her husband purchased an apartment for about $587,000, where they live with their young daughter.
Produced by: Tasia Jensen
Managing Producer: Beatriz Bajuelos
Supervising Producer: Jessica Leibowitz
Camera: Federico Campanale
Animator: Gene Kim
Senior Production Manager: Kathryn Mavrikakis
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I'm Much Happier Living In Belgium Than In The U.S. - Here's How Much It Costs
I’ve known Jess for over 20 years and she’s the REAL DEAL. We served in the Marine Corps together all over the globe, and she’s literally part of my family. Enjoy your success, Jessica!!! #SemperFi
You should both move back to africa. Enrich africa with the diversity you bring.
Wow she's a certified badass!
I'd like to see ur videos!!
Another one making high US salary and thinking thats how the locals live where she goes lol belgium salaries are poor and taxes high
Every time I watch one of these videos I start asking myself what country do I want to move to and how much money do I need?
ummmm maybe go travel there as a black woman then make a decision, that's all I'll say. I'm not setting foot in Europe again. I hope you have a better experience.
South Africa....
These videos are all higher income people moving from the US because they couldn’t handle it.
You can go live in Uganda.
The answer is always Spain 😅
If you can afford a house that is almost twice the average price in Belgium, means you have high income and can live comfortably. Maybe 5% of the people in Belgium can pay a mortgage of almost 3000 USD a month. They are considered high income persons so they certainly more than 50% tax.
You will have to pay above 7000$ monthly mortgage to live in a crappy 1700 sq ft Bay Area home. Just saying.
Well 3k usd mortgage probably means around 6.5-8k monthly net income , that would seem safe enough from a bank pov. That certainly is on the upper end of the spread given they also have a company car etc, I think that is top 2% or something even, all things considered.
But you can certainly live comfortably around here with a much smaller income than that , 6.5 k leaves a lot on the table spending money wise in a normal family
@@kverreet Nah, the company car isn't the dead giveaway, it's the mortgage cost that instantly gave away these people are high income earners.
The fact that they HAVE this income and CHOSE to live in a silly appartment in the heart of Brussels is such a bad idea!
The money spent she would have her own house with a big garden on an outskirt of Brussels with super easy acces to a train/metro station...
A good tutorial here, how *NOT* to spend money... Even if you have money, that appartment is quite tiny. They settled for location only...
Saint Gilles, I used to live there ..before selling my apartment and buying a home in a smaller town at 45 min.
@@ABC-ABC1234 I know, I didn't say the car was a giveaway. It does however add significant value, that is a lot of money they can spend on other things instead, every single month.
They could buy a massive villa in the Ardennes or Limburg or something instead, indeed.
But you have to keep in mind that once you reach a certain age it often becomes more about convenience than possibilities. You no longer want that big house to clean and so on . Also they are expats, if they want to hang out with other expats, Brussels definitely is the place to be , not some rural town where they'd probably
end up being pretty isolated..
I respect a person who has served our country abroad in many countries throughout most her adult life and finally find somewhere she can settle. Yes America is not what it used to be.
It's not what it used to be. There's more diversity now. Let's see what that diversity does to Europe.
@@byokenhaving lived in N.America, i tell u...the impression i previously had of europe, especially places like Italy Swiss Beligium has changed....America is a dump...the laws and racism is way worse than in europe. You wouldn't think so because of the history but it is. We're constantly putting our noses in other nations business and not focusing on domestic issues. My ex wife sister is based in Iraq working in the oil & gas. Her initial perspective has changed. The ppl are very nice, but we in the west are screwing wt their culture and want to dominate them for their oil...she and her colleagues swear the media lies on these ppl....propaganda all the way
Having an American passport is a boon. I am in India and it is really difficult for an Indian to settle in the West with increasing inflation and strict immigration rules for the third world countries.
Every time an American speaks about how much they love living in Europe, comment sections get flooded with people either attempting to bash Europe with cookie cutter statements or try to convince the internet how great America is.
Problem with all these videos from Americans is that they are all privileged high earning individuals or had high paying jobs back in US and now they are just enjoying the cost arbitrage between the US and Europe. I have yet to see some Americans moving to Europe and living on a below average salary and singing praise of Europe. The fact is all the privileges they have is because they were born in the US and made money in the US which at the end helped them to take advantage of the cost arbitrage.
@@sauloncall Good point. I also think it would help if the Americans just talk about what they like about their new countires without disparaging the USA. One could say, "I like the easy way of life here." Full stop. The part about people yelling at each other is unnecessary. I too am looking to move out of the US with my husband, but this country has a lot of great qualities that could be highlighted and I chose to focus on that. We hear enough about what's wrong with it.
@@sauloncallI have never lived in the US, but I believe the safety net of society here in Belgium, or France (can't speak for the countries where I haven't lived) would still make it much more comfortable for a person to live here than over there, especially if the person were to get sick or needed job stability.
Minus all the agreements and disagreements from many folks from, near or have been to the area; I am happy that she has found her happy place, feel safe and secure with her family, was brave enough and fortune enough to leave the U.S.
She seems genuinely happy. ❤
Her situation doesn’t apply to most Americans..she’s apparently married to a dutch guy and gets a lot of benefits through her husbands job
True ! I also don't know any Belgian couple that can pay 3000 € a month for a mortgage.
I had the same experience: I lived abroad then moved back to the US, and got laid off from my dumb job. The demon who laid me off didn't turn its camera on (it was also in the middle of the pandemic). I realized that the way people are treated in the US is not normal. I don’t know what’s more frightening: the experience of being treated sub-humanly, or realizing the psychology of people who do so
Or people who label other humans as "demon", to explain perceived [undo] evil upon them, then complain they were treated sub-humanly. Hypocrisy is a badge too
@@williamelewis464 Are you projecting or confessing?
I don't know you but, it is obvious to me from your intelligent observation and statement that if you keep your focus you well do well in whatever you in life do as long as you spot the demons before getting into any committed situation with them.
That's Trump and his people all over....demons.
@@williamelewis464 So is stupidity. Unless you have some personal knowledge of this person's journey why are you commenting?
$60 for child care could NEVER happen in the states 😭
60$ sounds unreal. I am pretty sure that the tax payers have to pay for the rest! We moved from Germany to Switzerland 3 month ago. Child care here is between 800 CHF and 2500 CHF. Per child and month for the Kindergarten! :D So glad we don't have children....
Germany also has low childcare.
They're paying $60/month out of pocket. The government is subsidizing the childcare with an additional $180/month.
She's taking advantage of a system that she didn't pay into and obviously feels entitled to. We should be taking in refugees not Americans.
Right, but 50-60% of income goes to taxes. You still pay, just not directly.
It's always difficult to uproot yourself from a familiar environment and settle in another country. I'm sure she and her family had to face a lot of bureaucratic crap along the way to arrive at this point of her migration journey. She makes it sound easy but that only speaks to her intelligence, tenacity and positive spirit. Personally I'm really glad that she presented an overall optimistic outlook in the clip because let's face it: who wants to watch a 10 min clip about someone's miserable existence in another country when there's misery aplenty in our own backyard? PS: Thank you for your service! :-)
Thank you 🙏🏽
Glad to see another Marine Officer doing well! Semper Fi.
I left America in 2007 been in Europe since 2015 this is very accurate
I would love to see her vlog her life there. Her authentic vibe is captivating. I enjoyed her story so much.
It’s a good reportage actually. That’s how chill and easy the life of an average European is. And I find it funny how my fellow Americans try to hate on it, you guys just need to go and touch some grass.
The best thing about Brussels is the train to Antwerp ♥
Loved this, Jessica looks so fulfilled… so beautiful to watch ❤️
She’s a dork.
What a beautiful family and Jessica is a strong, sweet person. Wishing you all the best :)
So, we judge people for drinking wine on Monday afternoons here in States? That's news to me. 😂
I
Especially in DC. That city is full of alcoholics lol
Well try drinking that wine on the street like she did and see what happens.
@@MyCamilla1989 Well, she sits at a table at a restaurant that has outdoor seatings. So, I've seen people drinking at restaurants that has outdoor seats and I didn't judge any of them. Are you saying you're going to judge someone for having a drink at a restaurant? 🤔
I cried watching this because she is a fighter and you can feel her tenacity! Good look to your family chica!!! Boricua vamos!
Please also put social media of these guys in the description every time that helps us to follow
The Dining Traveler is her RUclips page. I had to rewind and pause the video really fast to catch it! (:
@@candacedawn357 please share the link over here thanks
Awesome…thank you for sharing your story. Good for you finding your way to a new country, after so many years of hard work. Also, for the later in life education. Really amazing. Wishing you and your family all the best!
Judge you for drinking wine on a Monday afternoon in the states? Honey, we invented the 3 martini lunch 🍸
Americans who move to Europe always have to exaggerate how "bad" America is.
@@WillieFungo ha! Well I have been on the road for two years running now. I’m in Buenos Aires at the moment. Nice things here. Nice things back in nyc. Good and bad wherever you go. The truth is that she lives in a very nice city and I’m happy she likes it. But I don’t find the states any more dangerous than Europe
@@keithss67 Exactly. I love to travel too. But America is a great country, and I'm always glad to come back.
@@WillieFungo Not a fan of mass shootings!
@@keithss67 as someone who is born and raised in the Netherlands, I really don't understand how you think you're not safer here in Europe than the US. I mean just going off by the statistics alone along with the obvious (no gun culture, lesser crime and violence and traffic deaths etc). But ok.. I guess..😅
Her life looks so peaceful and stress-free, love it
Brussels is such a cute (and underrated) city. And so accessible to all of Europe. Jessica’s home and family are lovely!
Love your story! I also moved to Europe to find safety and happiness.🌻🌻🌻
I live (and grew up) near the Belgian border in Luxembourg and my life could not be more different from this. Just saying....
How so?
@@TheMiccoliGroup cost of living is sky high over here. We both work as independents trying our best to raise two kids with no fringe benefits from employers for example. We still get by but there’s no free time for anything
I live in Canada. So I get it. Start your own business.
visited belgium last year for the first time and love the architecture. I was in a tourist area specifically the I think pentagon area in brussels? it was amazing.
Long story short I was having a beer at night by myself and was approahced by a french girl to share a cigarette and beer with. She ended up taking me to an underground techno show and I loved it LOL.
@@LXBalla4414 I am sorry, but I call complete BS on what you're saying. Unless you're one of these people (like the ones in the video) living in the heart of a capital city, buying property is not your main issue. Actually, property prices in Belgian province of "Luxembourg" are FAAAAAAAAAAR lower than living in Luxembourg... Side note; are you working to live or living to work???
Please make more videos in Europe. Thank your CNBC Make It! I like this video and also the one in Denmark
Yeah, the Denmark one was quite sometime ago, I remember.
@@abhisheksamanta1 It's also interesting that both are mothers and they both mentioned about their kids' school environment in the US.....
@@Aidan_Au If I was a mother in the US, I'd also be scared about sending my kids to school!
@@jj-if6it And you'd be worried for the same reason that these 2 ladies/mothers talked about in the video? Thank you for sharing!
@@Aidan_Au yes, living in America in general would make me feel anxious due to the high level of gun crime for one. I live in Australia
As a belgian, i can confirm that our country is lovely but the daycare is certainly not 60 per month. It depends mainly on your salary ( if you go to a state nursery) but private nursery is about 600 to 800 eur per month
There are quite few inaquracies in the numbers, the state does not cover your medical expenses, you have to co-finance it and get a health insurance, plus a dental insurance, plus a hospital insurance etc and they reimburse between 60 to 70 percent. When you go to doctors you can pay at the moment anything between 6 -15 euros to hundreds of euros if you need specialist help. Gynecologists are extremely expensive, "pink taxing" women. Getting an appointment in a hospitaly usually takes 3-6 weeks, so you are forced to go to a private praxis if you are quite sick. I find the budget calculations very minimalistic, lot of things, such as clothing, entertainment, household equipments, school, internet, public transport subscriptions to travel expenses etc were not mentioned.
Her child is 7, I don’t think childcare refers to daycare but rather after school care. It could be provided within the school, which might explain why its subsidised. Or an au pair.
@@mmjkk you are right. I did not get that. Thanks
Geweldig. En hoe leuk dat je helemaal op je gemak bent. En grappig dat je man uit Rotterdam komt. Woon ik vlakbij Overschie). Gaaf wat jullie gedurfd hebben. Brussel is geweldig. Prachtig en bourgondisch! Geniet ervan ! You guys made a big step moving to Europe. Puerto Rico is a Heaven as well imo. Enjoy !! Geniet ervan 👌🏾🙌🏾🌹🐞
Would you recommend Belgium for Americans looking to live in Europe? We are retired now and we are interested in living in Europe. Thank you!
@@jackbaldwin3649 Excellent question 🙂If you're looking for the best weather? NO, very rainy. If you want to live in a city with lots to do? YES. And then, it depends on what your lifestyle would be. Enjoing nature with long walks and sleepy villages, move to the Walloon region (French speaking, not a lot of English proficiency ... but beautiful). Or you want more culture (and people more proficient to speak English) move to the northern part. We're small but very diverse. And not claiming to be the best country in the world. We're humble. Anyway, we would welcome you with open arms 🙂
@@wimve4719 Thank you!
Ooh-rah!! I am from the Bronx and retired from the military after 32 years in service. I got wise about my finances in my late 30s and good to see fellow vets doing great.
I am happy for her and her family.
Out of all the financial institutions on RUclips you are the only one who gives the easiest way to get rich. Financial education is indeed required for more than 70% of the society in the country as very few are literate on the subject ....Imagine investing $1000 and receiving $9,000 in 4days.*
Yeah because facing this recession without investment is actually risk, salaries are easily spent off .
The crypt0 market is bringing a different revolution in the world economy. People who are optimistic investor will earn consistent why the others will sit back and watch.
I think to combat the negatives effect of inflthinkation, it's a good idea to diversify your portfolio across different asset classes, since this can help protect your portfolio against inflation.
*I would really love to know how much work you did put in to get to the stage..what are the strategy*
Getting Laura Ferguson really helped me pay off all my debts.I started with what I had left and it was the best decision I ever made
FATCA is manadatory ALL countries (i think non-Nato countries are excluded)*
Wonder what her social media income looks like.
Either way, do what's best for you and your family. Unfortunately majority are too stressed and dehumanized to be able to think and and make a plan to change and let's not forget access. All things considered, good for her.
It's always the American income that allows them to do this.
I didn't see any mention of American salaries here though? Regardless, Belgians are the richest in the world when you look at median wealth per adult. The US ranks 13 on this list.
Yeah, how do you figure an American salary plays a role here?
The retirement income from the military
@@candyboayue112 ah yes that’s true. Military penion is good money but you’d earn significantly more from a job in Belgium.
Exactly! This is just Americans flaunting their wealth in cities with "lower" cost.
Moving to another country (especially legally!) is a privilege, but it is available to many more people than one might think. Especially young people, getting education in another country is a great way to see the world, and even to save some money, considering US tuition costs. Let's hope for a peaceful, friendly future where being a foreigner does not mean isolation, but instead learning and flourishing.
its not privileage now., many americans with pensions of around 1500$ can easilly go and live well in some EU countries as Spain,Portugal even France but outside of Big cities
@@Mr11ESSE111: nearly 10 million Americans live abroad, but those who have swallowed down the patriotic bs think that the US is the only place to live. I can hear the chants of USA, USA, USA playing on repeat in the heads of some commentators.
I mean, if you can buy a home in Brussels, you can live in Brussels LOL
Most rich people stay rich by spending like the poor and investing without stopping then most poor people stay poor by spending like the rich yet not investing like the rich but impressing them
Exactly! My grandparents were so frugal but they had a TON of money on both sides. I remember my grandfather telling me "you want to make money while you sleep." And I guess that attitude passed down to my dad (RIP), because I remember going to his house one day and I had bought something I really liked, so I wanted to show it to him. So I said "Look at this!
Isn't it cute? It was on sale...I saved 50%!" My dad replied "Well, if you're spending, you're not saving." Obviously I had no retort, and that has always stuck with me.
Saving and investing wisely while prioritizing necessities and a few small luxuries in relation to one's total assets is a great approach. It helps ensure financial stability and I my for the enjoyment of life's little pleasures without compromising long-term financial goals. It's all about finding a balance that works for you!
Thank you Angela Christine Derle for $60,000👍🏻. There are so many opportunities to make money here on RUclips but most people don’t know. Thank you for continuing updates I'm favoured, $60,000 every two weeks ! I can now give back to the locals in my community and also support God's work and the church. God bless America
Hello how do you make such monthly ?? I'm a born Christian and sometimes I feel so down 🤦 of myself because of low finance but I still believe in God.
Thanks to my co-worker (Alex) who suggested Ms Angela Christine Derle
I am happy 😁 and grateful to God for everything ❤️.
I can't wait to relocate too 😮
What a beautiful story ❤
Good luck❤it's very nice in Brussels
🌹I'm 51 and feel bad for younger generations. They wants so much - a big house, new car, vacations, designers clothes etc.. and feel deprive whenthey have to sacrifice. I was the same way but some things changed as I got olderI stopped wanting all that stuff and just feel content having a big stack of cash saved and invested to help me stay afloat through retirement
Success depends on the actions or steps you take to achieve it. Building wealth involves developing good habits, such as regularly setting aside money for sound investment...
Money invested is far better than money saved, when you invest it gives you an opportunity to increase your financial worth
It's remarkable how long term advantage people like us have gotten trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent
The wisest thing that should be on everyone's mind currently should be to invest in different streams of income that doesn't depend on government paycheck. Especially with the current economic crisis around the world , this is still a time to invest in Stocks, Forex and Digital currencies
I keep seeing how lots of people testify about how they make money from stocks, Forex and crypto currencies (BTC) and i wonder why i keep losing.. Can anyone help me out or at least advise me on what to do 🙏.
I'm an American who lived in Belgium long enough to become Belgian. There are a ton issues with her story.
1) The government doesn't provide healthcare. Belgium's healthcare is administered through non-profit insurance agencies and private doctors. The government reimburses part of the cost, but doesn't directly run care facilities.
2) Co-pays are way higher than 2-3 EUR a month. A general consultation runs you 10-20 EUR. Sure, it's lower than the US, but it isn't "dirt cheap."
3) Belgium has some of the worst traffic in Europe, and people definitely get angry and honk while sitting in daily gridlock (a lot of that comes from the backwards tax policy of making it cheaper to give employees a company car than a meaningful pay raise. Not only is this horrible for the environment, but it hampers wealth-building and risk-taking since people hesitate to change jobs out of fear of losing their German automobile).
4) 3,000 EUR a month is crazy expensive for a mortgage for many parts of Brussels. They were able to afford that due to their high income they made living in the US
5) Belgian workers effectively can't be fired, which creates poor service and labor inefficiencies. Getting fired is like winning the lottery (2+ years of unemployment and paid holiday while being unemployed). That cost falls back on the consumers.
It'd be nice if CNBC would talk to Americans who have lived overseas for more than 5 years. There's a lot of stuff these green expats just don't know or miss. It's kind of embarrassing as a long-time European resident to see these misrepresentations of US vs European life.
2) Co-pays are way higher than 2-3 EUR a month. A general consultation runs you 10-20 EUR. Sure, it's lower than the US, but it isn't "dirt cheap."
That's not true these days, one no longer has to pay up front and get money back later. Nowadays all you need to pay is the 2-3 euro per visit, like she says.
3) since people hesitate to change jobs out of fear of losing their German automobile
This also feels a bit wrong. I don't know anyone who wouldn't change jobs out of fear of losing their car. Company cars basically are ubiquitous for certain sectors/job titles, it doesn't matter where you work you will be able to negotiate for one.
5) Belgian workers effectively can't be fired, which creates poor service and labor inefficiencies. Getting fired is like winning the lottery (2+ years of unemployment and paid holiday while being unemployed). That cost falls back on the consumers.
Ofcourse one can get fired, an employer simply needs a valid reason for it, that is all. No random firings around here like in the USA that much is true. But you certainly can get fired, I have been.
The 2 years plus of unemployment is highly conditional. You cant simply waltz into Belgium, work for a few months, get fired and colllect free money. Back in the day it used to be a lot easier to abuse the system but nowadays they are pretty strict.
Belgium is more productive than the us so …
@@Its_elena2 We are a great place to live as long as you are upper middle class or above. Anyone below that is kind of struggling these days , though "struggling" is relative obviously.. our view of struggling still is a poor mans paradise.
@@kverreet Nailed it! Thank you.
Thank you.
Good for you!!! Arriba Boricua!!
Gracias ☺️
Wow, that's an absolute dream! The most amazing duplex apartment in a unit with 2 others in a quiet Brussels neighborhood. Well located for food culture and international travel, amazing she could make a living out of it. Very wholesome video, congrats to Jessica!
There was a all greek restaurant at the heigh of shoe shop liessens serving calamares zuflakis and tzsikis in the 70 ies. A volvo dealers ship with the 264 in the showroom ...You litrelly missed it all. Drivever with white gants in rolls royces and bentleys opening doors
On the chaussée de louvain ( the house just before the american pharmacy now) sat 1 traiteur. You could find there very posh and exotic food ready made in plates. I still remember the smell of that shop and how fancy that was while looking at the nylon panties and lace bra lacletes of posh chicks coming to order with dogs we had never seen ( pitbulss)
I enjoyed this video🙏🏿😊
If anything, Gid forbid happens to my husband - I would definitely move to Europe. Either Spain or Italy - absolutely 💯
Convince him to move to Europe! Don't wait.
I am delighted for you, truly!!!😀
What a great segment! Thank you.
I’m in DC every single day and live just moved over the boarder from DC into PG (neighboring county).
The DC area is hard to compete with as far as resources and accessibility. Things can get expensive tho.
I hear you, no pressure about anything... Love Amsterdam....
driving from JFK into midtown under that tunel (we also say under the tunnel where it is in the tunnel as a mtter of fact) breathing NYC air seeing shop owners preparing...is a mere recollection Fine America
Enjoyed watching this video! You have a beautiful family!
Some of these bot comments are crazy 😂
I’m a black American woman living in the US and videos like this make me want to move to Europe. I’m sick of the racism, traffic, sprawling suburbs where you don’t see anyone outside or walking around, car centric design/culture, gun violence, unaffordable housing prices, childcare, healthcare, and higher education, as well as only 2wks PTO. Some comments though are making me think that even still, quality of life in the US is better than Europe? What’s the truth?
'... quality of life in the US is better than Europe ...'. In short, no. There are lots of videos here on RUclips made by Americans living in Europe. Some of them have settled in my country, England, and are perfectly happy. Racism is a problem in nominally "white" countries and that is the reality.
As they it depends upon your priorities and perceived value. Remember that quality of life is not just the only criteria as you also need work to survive as well as other things. Quality of life in comparison to US is high in Europe but also at the cost of high taxes and social welfare programs.
I realized that the secret to making a million is saving for a better investment. I always tell myself you don't need that new Maserati or that vacation just yet. That mindset helped me make more money investing. For example last year I invested 80k in stocks and made about $246k,but guess what? I put it all back and traded again and now I am rounding up close to a million
You work for 40yrs to have $1m in your retirement, Meanwhile some people are putting just $10k in a meme coin for just few months and now they are multi millionaires. I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life
Thanks for continuing updates I'd rather trade the stock market as it's more profitable. I make an average of $34,500 per week even though I barely trade myself.
I'm favoured financially, Thank you Jesus $32,000 weekly profit regardless of how bad it gets on the economy.
How
..? Am a newbie in crypto investment, please can you guide me through on how you made profit?
Thanks to Mrs Maria Davis.
What a great video. Glad she likes living in Belgium. I love it too here ❤
Love their story.
It’s more expensive to live in Belgium than the US, to each to their own.
It’s a very nice city. I enjoy visiting it. Not sure about living there
This is the life we could have in the United States. People, please vote for public transportation and dense housing.
We already have that..throughout the major cities in the U.S. And keep in mind that the U.S. is 2.5X the size of the European Union countries.
Every quarter had a fresh flower shop bought at the crié next to the canal early at 4AM in the morning. Massge salons my mommy forbid me to go.
I would love to live somewhere in Europe, except the taxes would put me off. We pay 35% or something in Australia as middle income earners, and I feel like that's bad enough! Although we do get a good quality of life for it
Congrats!!!
Of course... No brainer. Be happy!!!!
Luv this video.
Europe is great but I absolutely cannot with the weird electrical outlets, the lack of convenience and speed from clerks and businesses, and things randomly closing for holidays in the middle of the week. The limited international food options is also a no for me. The old buildings are pretty but I like my surroundings to reflect the time I'm living in.
Holidays are never "RANDOM". I don't know about you but we know exactly what day is a public holiday because they are legally set. Be it first of May, Xmas day, Ascencion etc. etc. You say "Europe is great" that is an extremely vague statement, what is nice in Spain might be seen as horrible in Belgium or Germany and vice versa.
she is very lucky to have a husband that supports her in a first world country
I agree with her, DC is getting out of control and becoming a lot like New York!!
What didn’t make it in the video is that I loved living in DC, it will always be one of my favorite cities but between financial, family, and crime, it was tough to stay. It’s not that there’s no crime in Brussels but it just feels a bit safer.
It's so fun and fascinating to hear life storiy and anecdotes of different people with distinct origins and walks of life
when I was very young we had Ford minivan. Watching those Lasalle banners on the highway 'to let' mom what does that mean 'to let' we don't use that
standing in my garden talking nicely to my dog... to the left a 10 meter fence with three big birches at the neighbor. In front a very nice wooden garden house covered with a shale roof. Then an open space whee I have view on meadows with horses land an 5 million villa with tilleuls and on the right a 20 meters green hedge. The next villa sits at 6 meters. L'art de vivre and quality of life.
Just so you guys know, this is from the point of view from a couple with a household INCOME of at least $135k EUROS annually. This isn't a normal experience in Europe.
I was always tought your mortgage could only be 1/3rd of your netto income ! If you want to buy a house like that it means paying 100.000 or more euros in advance and earning 10.000 € netto a month, which is indeed not average ...
In then DC metro, the median income is $100,000.00/year for college professionals and many make over $175,000.00/year.
Love the shot of the kitty :)
Poly dor polygram sony music mgm all had very nice town houses for their staff to come to work. I was there
Smart woman..
I always wonder how you know whether to communicate in French or Dutch. Does it depend on the city?
Rule of thumb Flanders => Dutch but nearly all speak English, I'm willing to bet Flemish people's English is better than their french even though half of the country speaks French. (Blame educational system focusing more on English)
Brussels; predominant French but English is easily accesible as well due to the international aspect of the city
Walloon region; almost exclusively French.
Officially, Brussels is bilingual, you can speak French or Dutch. Most people don't speak Dutch though ! Using English is not a bad idea, but it makes you look like a tourist.
@@wanneske1969 we can't help looking like tourists if we are though, haha. I'm half Dutch but am not fluent. And I learnt French for four years at school but can't remember much!
55% tax is CRAZY! Though having that level of security might be worth it...
Is not crazy when you have universal healthcare, free or cheap world-class college, free or cheap child care, low crime, good public transportation system. We pay more for that.
@@arielespejo4956 Throw in some good weather and that sounds like a bargain lol
@@udokachiefe5357 sadly "good weather" isn't part of the Belgian vocabulary.
setting cars ready with thinner and then spraying in valvoline 2 fat monoes on the front and a cow hide steering wheel. An amp meter oil pressure gauge and a CB radio with a long antenna ...over and ot 10/40?
Huh? Literally never seen anyone get judged in the US for having wine in the afternoon.
I have. They immediately think you're an alcoholic. It's fairly typical difference I see between Europe and US.
@@ladyethyme Exactly.
@@ladyethymeexactly! That’s why I made the comment on the video
People definitely judge in the US, will assume you’re a slacker with an easy job
Right. She seems very touch up
I am curious to know what the income is. I am just seeing spend, spend, spend. I am also missing where there is a savings living in Belgium. The only difference appears to be the view? 😎
'I am also missing where there is a savings living in Belgium.' Everything is cheaper and you don't have to pay through the nose for indifferent healthcare.
She’s saving on healthcare, childcare and transportation costs. Her Housing costs are comparable to the US. She’s retired military and has a working husband.
It´s simple, EVERY country is way more "happier" living then USA
Right lol yet 100,000 are pouring over the borders into the United States every day to "seek misery" 😂
@@fibonaccifanzeroviews7839 We have mass of illegal immigration - that's more and more countries in EU are turning right wing. You should vote 4 trump if you dont want llegal immigration
be careful when seeing what's highlighted, its better to ask the citizens of the country then an American who moves there, where the USA dollar is strong.
@@michaellaviola3125 True. Good point!
Then why are all these people coming here to the 🇺🇸
Thank you CNBC for the content. Makes me feel blessed living in saudi with no taxes 🫢
At the expensive of living in a country where it never rains?! No thank you!
According to the latest Global Wealth Report Belgians are the richest in the world when you look at median net worth. There is a strong culture of saving money and home ownership. So you can absolutely thrive there.
I’m not surprised
Wonderful
I hate my work experience in the USA - asap, planning to retire in France. Not in Paris but in a smaller town or village with train service to be able to travel. I’ve save up my nest egg and got a good side hustle and will be able to pay all cash for a home so no mortgage. And it will cost a fraction of what you paid for an apartment in Brussels because it’s hard for Americans to get a mortgage. But I love Brussels so more power to you!! I’m single and over 60, in a different situation from yours, but I love to travel and don’t want to live in the states where life is more violent, volatile and expensive.
How do you even have the energy or the will to relocate at this old age?
@@anuragchakraborty8766 60 is not old. As long as you're healthy, you can definitely live abroad and thrived.
@@inmytravelstoday What do you mean 60 is not old? Most people are on serious medication by that time.
@@anuragchakraborty8766: most people YOU know. I am on the point of turning 66 and I am not taking any prescribed medications. I don't eat bad food nor am I glued to the armchair. Further, I don't currently have a car, so get some walking in nearly everyday.
@@eattherich9215 A tiny handful of exceptions doesn't disprove the rule.
It is way too cold in Belgium and northern Europe
No different than the Midwest or the Northeast US
I live in Belgium and I can say the weather is ok here. Definitely better than in the Uk or Northern Germany. I often left Brussels by train when it was sunny and dry, and arriving in Bremen (near Hamburg) and it was cold, rainy or foggy.
more of this with different EU cities/ countries please!
7:15 55% Taxes folks. Keep that in mind.
Good stay there!
Can you please do an episode of Netherlands??
Brussels is basically the Washington DC of Europe. Traffic is terrible because so many people work in the city and because the EU and NATO offices are headquartered in Brussels.
Just move to Leuven or Ghent or if you can afford it Bruges... Bruges is so beautiful!
Or pick a strategic city that has good connection with Brussels by train.
@@ABC-ABC1234 Like Malines, Leuven or Antwerp
@@wanneske1969 Maline/Leuven/Antwerp itself are UNAFFORDABLE! Either live in a village with close and solid connection nearby or pay the consequences. Although it seems sooo close in Belgium on a map, Belgium itself is very densely populated. Those mentioned cities are beyond disgustingly expensive now. (In terms of living quality Antwerp center isn't even attractive)
@@ABC-ABC1234 I am a single guy and own an 2 bedroom appartment in Antwerp. And I'm not rich :-).
@@wanneske1969 Hey Wannes, aangenaam kennis te maken. Tegenwoordig liggen die prijzen wel VEEL hoger dan 20 jaar geleden. Vooral post Covid crunch in 2021, die prijzen zijn waanzinnig gestegen. Verder moet je ook nog onderscheid maken tussen apartement aan de kaaien/ Eilandje nieuwbouw appartement vs appartement aan Sint Jans plein... ;)
i don't think any country is better than another one, but i'd pick any city over dc, even brussels lol.
If no country is better than another, how about a one way ticket to subsaharan africa? Put your money where your mouth is.
Nice! I'm also looking for a sense of safety outside of The United States.
Same.
Did you like Australia when you visited?
Loved it! I hope to go back soon one day!
🤔 Hold on, did she say the 55% of their pay that goes to Belgium is justified, because Belgium’s welfare system provides financial security?
Yes. She said that. Considering she's American, it makes sense.
I'm guessing workers rights and different kinds of government support makes it easier to transition between jobs in Belgium. Like for a lot of other european countries. You also get very cheap or free healtcare, childcare and education for that money. High taxes works as long as you get something valuable back.
For families with children I would say that is definitely the case. If you are single or without children, it's more questionable.
55% covers tax and all sort of SS - e.g. healthcare, long term care etc. Gives the peace of mind that she would never go bankrupt in case something bad happens. Also, remember that overall infrastructure is way more advanced and matured. For example, she does not need to buy a car and use the public transport on day to day basis. It's definitely better than getting 80% in hand after tax deduction and then spending 80% of it on things which are practically free (as compared to in her case).
@@abhisheksamanta1 I agree. At least seeing what comes of your tax money makes sense rather the other way around
Wow! The happiness and aura that the US CAN NEVER give many immigrants. You ma'am look Sun kissed and happy. God bless you. I tap into your amazing blessing for a tall gentleman husband.
The US is what you make it to be. Many immigrants who are educated like this woman do just fine. If you’re immigrating with $2 in your pocket, zero education, zero skills outside of manual labor, you’re going to have a harder time than say a doctor or engineering coming to the US.
Thank you 😊