Arno, 37, from Berlin, who wishes to remain anonymous, started working for a Swiss company after studying computer science. Thirteen years after he started moving across borders, Arnault now earns €127,270 a year. There is also an annual bonus equivalent to approximately one month's salary.
He also received an inflation compensation of about 1,040 euros last year, Arnault told Spiegel. The employer plans to increase his salary on a regular basis.
“this is [alles] “I realize it's a great privilege,” says Arno. “But I wouldn't say I'm overpaid.”
At the end of the month, a software engineer has a maximum of 500 euros left
In general, his income seems higher than it is. Depending on the exchange rate, he will initially receive around 10,600 euros per month. After deducting social insurance, unemployment and pensions in Switzerland, he has about 8,580 euros left. He must allocate about 230 euros of this amount to health insurance and 3,300 euros to taxes.
“[Der Steuerbeitrag] “They are rounded generously,” says Arno, “because in the past the tax office would often want little up front – and then demand huge additional payments within a strict payment deadline!” He prefers to calculate using too much rather than too little, especially since the exchange rate also fluctuates.
In addition, he and his wife – who earn around €2,900 net – took out a mortgage to buy an apartment in southern Germany, with around €1,560 withdrawn from his account each month.
They now buy food regionally and organic because it's “nonsense” to use their paychecks to buy “discounted junk.” After deducting all fixed costs, he was left with about 2,500 euros. “I'm happy if there's still 500 euros left at the end of the month,” says Arnault.
High earners: “I'm always amazed at how much money goes away.”
In fact, one should save more than the net amount he and his wife have each month of over €7,000. But there are always “new purchases or orders from Amazon that add value.”
Meanwhile, they are simply accustomed to a “certain standard of living”: designer rather than IKEA furniture, expensive restaurants, concerts, and visits to museums. A short trip over a long weekend could cost you €1000 if you are used to a higher standard.
“I'm always amazed at how much more money is spent than what is relatively high in theory,” says Arno.
Every second German does not know his partner's salary
While Arno can barely cover anything on a monthly salary of €10,600, most German employees earn much less. Recently, a report by Konono showed that software developers, the second highest paid occupational group in Germany, earn on average around €58,176 gross per year.
In addition, according to the survey, only one in two Germans knows their wife's salary.
