One of the many drivers for many internationals to work in America on H1B or L1 Visa is their ability to save more money than they can in their home country. The big question is how much money can you save in America? What are the typical expenses that someone on H1-B Visa or L1 visa would encounter? How much is the cost of living in the USA?
In this article, we will review all the typical expenses and how much you can save by looking at all of them.
What are Savings? Income vs. Expenses?
In general, the net amount of money you can save is the total amount you earn minus the taxes and total amount of expenses that you incur for your living. This is no different for H1B visa or L1 visa holders. While you may make more money, you need to factor in taxes because each state can have a different tax rate.
Net Savings = Income – ( Taxes + Expenses )
First, let’s look at the expenses you would typically incur as an international on an H1B or L1 visa.
Cost of Living in the USA on H1B/L1 Visa – Expenses List
The cost of living in the US is a sum of various expenses that you incur for your stay, food, transportation, and many other typical expenses. Below is the list of those expenses and how they can vary.
In the below calculations for the cost of living & expenses, we assume you are living in the US with your spouse. So, it is technically for two adults living in a rented house.
House Rent
House Rent can vary a lot by the location you live in and the size of the house you rent. If you take a 1 BHK, it is cheaper, but many prefer to take 2 BHK or 3 BHK for convenience. Rent in bigger cities(such as New York, San Jose, San Francisco, etc) for a 2 BHK could be around $2500 to $3500 or more, depending on the house size and other options.
In smaller cities, the rent could be about $1500 or less. These smaller cities or towns are with less population and are might not be in the most happening parts of the state. Also, with inflation at the highest in the US since 2021 due to the pandemic, the rents have gone slightly higher, so you need to factor in more.
Car EMI
The car monthly payment, also called every month installment (EMI), can vary by the type of car you buy like the economy, regular, or luxury category car. Let’s say you buy something that is not of luxuries like BMW or Mercedes and something like Honda or Ford that is a normal car, then you can end up paying anywhere from $300 to $600 USD. This can be higher if you go for a high-end car.
Car Insurance
Car insurance monthly payment varies by the type of car you own and your driving record. If you are a new driver and just got your license in the US, your car insurance would be high. The reason is, it is based on your driving record and history. Also, the place you live has an impact on the car insurance payment. You may pay double or more if you live in big cities. It can vary from $80 to $150 or more.
Car Gas ( Petrol )
The common American English word for Petrol is ‘Gas’. The expense for gas varies by the commuting distance from your office. If your office is a short drive, then you may pay like $100 or $150 per month. If you commute in high-traffic cities, this can be as much as $250 USD or more. Also, now with the tight supply of oil globally with the var, the prices of gas are crazy and can go up to $350 or more.
Mobile Phone
Mobile phone plans vary by the type of plan you take if you have multiple lines on the plan. Also, in recent years, the focus is more on data and unlimited data. Let’s say you go with something like Verizon Unlimited, you may end up paying anywhere from $60 to $90 USD per month per phone line. If you have a landline, you may pay a little for that too.
Groceries
The amount you spend on groceries, like vegetables, milk, snacks, and other cooking-related stuff, depends on how much you cook vs. how much you eat out. If you are a foreigner on H1B or L1 Visa, odds are you may cook more at home. Also, the cost of groceries maybe even more, if you cook your country-specific cuisine like Indian Food. The reason is, that you would need to buy your home country-specific vegetables like Indian vegetables or Japanese vegetables (very expensive). This can vary anywhere from $300 to $500 per month.
Utilities ( Water, Cooking Gas, Electricity)
The cost of utilities that, include Electricity, Cooking Gas, and Water, varies by the place you live in. For electricity, if you live in a warm place like Houston, you spend more on Air conditioning, but if you live in a cold place like Wisconsin, you spend more money on heating. So, it totally varies by the city you live in. In some cities, the apartment rental includes the heat as well, in such cases, the utilities bill could be less. On average, it can vary anywhere from $200 to $300 USD per month. You can check the Average Monthly Utility Cost by US state
International Calling
Calling your home country was a big expense during 2004, but over the last 15 years, things have changed and most of the times, you use WhatsApp or FaceTime for the same. At the worst, you may use Google Voice or some service occasionally. It should not cost you more than $15 to $20 USD per month if you take a dedicated monthly subscription.
Eat Out at Restaurants
Your expense for dining out varies by your food habits. Assuming you take a lunch box to office and cook home often, this bill would be less. You may end up spending maybe $150 to $200 for eating out. Again, this is assuming you are not going to fine dining restaurants and eating at some modest fast food or not-so-expensive restaurants.
Movies, Shopping – Misc Expenses
Your expenses for things like Movies, Shopping ( buying new clothes or items for home ), etc. totally varies by your lifestyle and the kind of things you prefer to buy. If you are into buying expensive clothes & branded items, you may get a fat bill for this item. If you are conservative and watch out for your expenses for these miscellaneous items, you can limit your expenses anywhere from $150 to $200 per month.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is an optional expense. Most of the time, good companies pay for health insurance and this may not be your expense. But, you may need to factor in this item, if you are paying from your pocket. This totally varies by the plan, age, etc. So, we can ignore this in our calculations, but keep in mind that.
Now that you looked at all the expenses and how they can vary, let’s summarize them in a table and add them up. For the below computation, we are taking expenses in the mid-range assuming you are living a conservative lifestyle and not living a luxury life.
| Expense Description | Cost in USD ($) |
| House Rent – 2 BHK ( average in a small town/ city. If you are in NY, CA, rent can be up to $3,000 or more. | 1500 |
| Car EMI | 300 |
| Car Insurance | 80 |
| Car Gas | 150 |
| Phone | 90 |
| Groceries | 300 |
| Utilities | 200 |
| International Calling | 10 |
| Eat Out | 150 |
| Movies, shopping, other misc. expenses | 200 |
| Total Expenses | $2840 |
You can even save more or spend more based on your lifestyle. I have not included any expenses related to your travel, buying clothes, other home setup things like Sofas, dining tables, chairs, etc. Also, if you have kids, you will encounter some more expenses, which are not included in above.
Taxes you pay in the US as H1B or L1 Visa holder
Taxes are a big part of your overall salary, you would end up paying anywhere around 35% as well depending on the state you live in and your status as single or married.
For example, If you make about $60,000 USD per year in the USA, which is $5000 per month (Gross Salary). For instance, if you live in a state like Wisconsin, your take-home Net Salary would be $3,600 per month ( approximate).
See below from an actual Payslip from Wisconsin state for someone making $5000 per month.
You can use something like ADP Pay Check Calculator to get an idea of the Net Income that you will get after paying taxes. You can enter approximate numbers to get an idea. You can also read Taxes for Non-immigrant Visa Holders in the USA to understand more.
Now that we know the Taxes and Expenses, let’s look at the savings.
How much can you save – Approximate Savings?
Assuming your salary is about $60,000 per year or $5,000 per month ( for sake of simplicity), below is how the savings would look like in a state like Wisconsin(WI).
| Gross Salary ( Per month) | $5,000 |
| Net Salary ( after taxes, per month) | $3,600 |
| Monthly Expenses | $2840 |
| Net Saving | $760 |
Now, if you make about $120,000 per year or $10,000 per month ( for sake of simplicity), below is how much you can save in the state like Wisconsin. The tax slabs change with higher income, so even if your salary doubles, you would not get the entire money in your hand.
| Gross Salary ( Per month) | $10,000 |
| Net Salary ( after taxes, per month) | $6,809 |
| Monthly Expenses | $2,840 |
| Net Saving | $3,969 |
All the above numbers are highly indicative and can vary based on state. Also, the take-home or net salary varies by state with state taxes. The above numbers are very low.
How to estimate the cost of living for a City or State?
If you look at the expenses list we reviewed above, there are two key things that drive most of the monthly expenses. The first one is home rent and the second one is taxes that you pay in the state. Other expenses are pretty much similar or can vary slightly, but not much though. Below are the two costs you need to have handy to estimate your cost of living in a city or state
- Rental Expense – How much is the average rent in a city
- Taxes – How much are the state related taxes
It is important that you understand the baseline savings that you can make when you work on H1B Visa or L1 visa. Some companies pay less, some pay more. We have given tabulation of the same for $60,000 USD per year vs $120,000 USD per year in a state like Wisconsin. As you can see, you can save anywhere from close to $1000 USD for lower salary and about $4,100 if you make higher salary.
Just looking at your salary of $60,000 USD or $120,000 USD per year, without considering taxes and your expenses, will give you wrong perceptions about savings and your financial planning. So, think about all the expenses and then
Did I miss any expenses? How are your expenses living in the US? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
You can also read Cost of living in USA as Student on F1 Visa
Hi ,
I got H1B visa petition approved for New York location. My company has offered $68K per annum. Please let me know how much I would be able to save.I have family Me , My wife and 1.5 years old kid.
Please someone guide me
Please check what i replied for PREM applicable for you too……
Hi Bhushan,
1.your salary would not be sufficient for New york, as NY is too much costly. House rent is horrible for 1bhk – $2500to $3000.
2. you are moving with your kid so definetly it would be not sufficient at all.
3.Remaining element of living cost like groceries+internet/mobile+utilities+car insurance +health insurance+car EMI in total would be $2000
if you want to know more about all the element of expenses and relocation expenses you can check out my youtube channel(My121Cents) where I am sharing my experience as a first time visitor in the USA recently.
Hi
My wife got L1 visa, salary 2600$ per month. Placement may be (Mooresville or Atlanta). I want to quit my job in india and come with him with L2 visa. We have one child. So pls advice me, With this salay
How much we can save ???
Hi
Congrats,
But at same time sorry to say, that 2600$ PM is take home after tax or what? i mean are they paying for your accommodation?
if your wife’s company is paying for your accomodation then still it can be managable, but if this is only amount and you have to manage for accomodation by your own then this is very less…..
any how still this is very less salary.
Hi Rahul,
Thanks for ur reply. Now only my wife got exact salary $3700 after tax. Is this OK to manage and save.. I am having housing lone for Rs30,000. I am quiting my job in India. My wife telling that with L2 visa I can work there.. pls reply me
Ya now at this figure you can save 70-80K PM and after repaying your home loan still you can save 40-50K
Hi,
I came to US first time in Nov 2014 and my company offered me 64k per year. The work location is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I am staying in a shared accommodation. Can anyone tell me how much amount I can save per month / year. I heard of Indian tax obligation. Do I need to pay taxes both in India and USA? As per latest update from my company, my monthly overseas allowance will be 3k. This is different from what they mentioned in the deputation letter(64k per year). Can some one explain what this mean to me?
Can anyone , Pls tell me the cost living in DETROIT MI .
My employer is offering 56K PA.
I plan to go with my wife and 3yr old son
1. What will be the tax , how much we can get take home salary.
2. How much we can save ?
Please revert asap….
Can anyone , Pls tell me the cost living in Housotn TX .
My employer is offered 64K PA.
1. What will be the tax , how much we can get take home salary.
2. How much we can save ?
Hi
My husband is traveling to Houston Texas on H1 visa nd he is offered a salary of $105000.can u pleas tell me what would be his monthly salary after all the taxes..
Kindly visit https://www.paycheckcity.com/ for paycheck calculators, withholding calculators, tax calculators, payroll information.
You will get an Idea what is your take home salary per pay check and more.
Thanks
Dhanjit G
Hi,
my company is offering me 75k USD for New York city. I m planning to live with my wife n one toddler kid. wife will b on H4. can anyone help me with how I can do maximum savings.
Hello,
I will be moving to Houston, Texas within a month.
I am being offered $81,000/- per year with additional $1200/- health insurance by the company. I am single. Anybody can suggest how much I can save per month with the assumption that I will be buying a car too.
You can easily save 33000 per annum. However, with a little less shopping and low rent house, you can save around 40000.
I just wanted to know if anyone could give me some information based on experience. my company offered me 80k USD and just got married (2months back) soon i am going to move to Atlanta, GA and I was hoping to get some information, does the 80k would be sufficient? what would be my monthly salary after tax also if possible pls share specifically the following in $USD.
1. Living Expesnes – water, gas, electricity, food (2 adults)
2. Housing Expenses – 1 or 2 bedroom appartment rent in a good neighbourhood – maybe 20-30 mins from the city (I’ve heard the further out you go the cheaper it is)
3. Public transport – bus, subway or taxi.
4. how much i can save per month?
check paycheckcity.com
for paycheck calculators, withholding calculators, tax calculators, payroll information
Hi Everyone.
I have been offered a Job with pay of USD 75,000 /PA. I will be based in Houston, Texas.
Is it a good salary with any saving prospects?
I earn 18, 00,000 INR /PA in India. That’s Roughly USD 30,000 PA.
I save around half my salary in India. How much can I expect to save there.
You can easily save over $3000 per month with that salary in Texas.
Hello everybody.
Company I work offered me to transfer to the US with a salary of $50000/yr. I wonder if you can tell me if this amount is enough to live in Minneapolis,U.S.A.I will be single living here. How much cost of living will b here. How much i will b able to save ?Also please appraise me about applicable taxes both state and federal.
with Thanks
kannan
Hello All,
I need your advice, I have a offer of $75K from a company in San hose, california with a bond of 2 years . I will be travelling with my wife and 1 kid (toddler). Me and wife both are working here in Mumbai and our joint income is around 18L. Out there my wife will be on H4 and won’t be working.
So can I survive there and save anything ? Please recommend me any suggestion.
Your kind suggestion required.
Thanks in Advance.
You can save around $1200-1500 per month I think. Your wife’s career will take a hit as well. Bond will not have any significance in US. So you can consider switching job after settling here.
Thanks for your prompt response Deep. Couple of questions here:
1) Are you already in US or have you previously been to US ?
2) Could you please throw more light on why bond will have no significance in US?
Many thanks!
I am here since 1.5 years. As far as I know, nobody can force you to work with them legally in US. Your employment is at your will. But I am not sure how they would have worded it or what significance it would have in India.
Dude,
San Hose is very costly to live and you will barely be able to save any money. Apart from the expense mentioned above, you will have to pay around 6-7K for health insurance alone. Also home rent will be close to $2,000 over there so i will assume you are looking at monthly expense of around 3,500-$4,000. Agree with deep that after tax and all you are looking at a saving around $1,500.
Thanks,
Shivraj
Hi
I have got an offer from an American company for $90k + up to 20 percent bonus (based on performance) . My work location is Rhode Island. Is this a good salary for a change and for that state? I’m currently getting $66k pa from an Indian mnc with 6 years of exp. I live with my wife.
Thanks
Hii,
With the pay of 50000$ per annum can we survive and save enough of money in Minneapolis… What will be the total cost of expense for bachelor ? Please tell me
I was offered of 5890 $ per month salary in USA ARIZONA by hyatt hotel as a data analyst officer . Should I go there to join or not ?
Please recommend me any suggestion ????
Arizona is not that expensive and so it’s not a bad salary. I lived around Phoenix for 4 years. Again- single, kids or married. Devil is always in details.
I was offered 65K from my company at the time of filing petition and promised for good salary once I go.
now my company stuck on 65 k only.
I have to go California with my wife.
I am getting Rs. 90000 in India and my saving Rs. 30-35 k every month leaving in Gurgaon, Delhi NCR.
After getting visa from ABC company can I change company xyz and go.
other company can offer 100-125 k easily.
So can I survive there and save anything ?
Your kind suggestion required.
Thanks in Advance.
What’s your experience (in number of years)?. California is expensive. This is very low salary. Earning 90k in Gurgaon is not bad.
You can change jobs easily if on H1B and good experience. You would be easily able to get 100k after 6 months working in California. I would take a ride but be careful. It might turn into a frustration if you are not competitive and aggressive. No brainer if wife can also get the job. Think about this as a paid vacation 🙂
Thanks Choks.
My Total Exp. is 9.5 years.
one correction :- Its Torrance in California.
Did you get a job, are you planning to move? If yes, would you mind helping me? I am in the same boat like you.
Hi Guys,
I am planning to move to NY on a salary of 115 K on H1, I make around 26 LPA in India, which amounts to 1.5 – 1.6 in India post tax, plus my wife is also working, I am not sure should I move ahead, Any idea how much would I be saving, if I live a simple no frills, OK type neighbor hood life style, with maximum 1-2 outings a month. I estimated it to be around 2000 – 2500 $, that would have matched our savings level in India, However I just realised that my employer is not paying for the health insurance, and I hope it should run into 500-1000K, so this might turn out to be a loosing proposition, I would really appreciate any help.
Regards,
Trust me. You won’t save much if that’s your goal.
You probably will end up living in metro park area or jersey city to save money on rent. That’s what most of people working in NY do. Your wife won’t be working I guess. Your health insurance costs are well in line considering your wife and you will both need it. I am assuming you would be working as consultant and that’s why your employer is not covering them.
One mistake that people do when they come to US is start compromising on outing and vacations to save money. It back fires because that somehow helps to relieve the loneliness that you acquire being in a new country. Outing is expensive in US. A one eat out on indian restaurant or a movie with poporn can easily burn $50. A disney vacation can easily burn between $1000 and $3000.
Living abroad is a nice experience though and if your wife can find a way to get a job in long run then 115K is not a bad start in US if you want to accept the initial tradeoffs. Consider this a paid ticket to a new experience and lifestyle. You will gain something in your resume and if you don’t have kids then it could be your good honeymoon destination.
Hello, I got a offer of 75000 /yr offer from ATL / GA. How much saving can be done with 2+2 kids family ? I can easily get around 10 lac / yr job in india. Is it good decision to migrte it to usa ? Appreciate the response.
I think 10 lcpa in India is much better- living alone will cost you a great deal of money – so taking 2+2 is not possible in that salary – moreover its starting salary. Yes if you get 100k+50k bonus you can go there.
I am looking at different comments and smiling. People – Don’t compare Apple to Oranges. I have seen students living on $800 budget and also the students who can’t live on $1600 and always on credit.
Now professionals – Cost of standard living is very low and simple in US. You can SURVIVE easily in 48K (answering to one of the posts) depending on WHERE you live, what your MARITAL status is and what your LIFESTYLE is. Devil is always in details. This last factor lifestyle is very important. Society, your immediate friend circle plays a big role. You want to shop at walmart or branded outlets? You want to drive basic toyota or BMW, mercedes? you wanna watch TV or go movies, vacations and then where you wanna go vacation. Hawai or a local destination? 🙂
If someone says that he’s living a decent life earning x amount, he is not saying wrong but he’s saying from his perspective about what comfortable life is.
2345 break down above is very – very economical based on a small inexpensive city and you might have to compromise a few things to achieve that with two kids. I had a cousin who was single, no car, sharing a one bedroom apartment and his monthly expense was $1000. My wife and I could never got it down from $3000/month average. Insurance is never $80 for the beginners drivers. It’s more.
Again depends upon, where are you living in India? Metro or small city?
If comparing NY and Atlanta. Earning 70 K in atlanta is better deal than earnign 115K in new york.
follow this link for comparison.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=New+York%2C+NY&city2=Atlanta%2C+GA
For a family of 4 ( older kids 10-15) in NJ to live a decent and “respectable” life. Rent and utilities 2200, two ordinary cars ( $ 500) , gas ( 200) , auto Insurance $ 150 per month, groceries – $ 700, other expenses like home items, clothes etc $ 200, classes for children ( music, soccer etc) $ 300, eating out – 300, vacations and India trips apportioned on a montly basis- $ 300, monthly bus for school ( NJ they do charge for public school busing depending on how far you live from school) $ 100. I am not including any more real lifestyle expenses or expenses of mortgage and other family in India. So at a household income of $ 80 K , it is a wash! . Of course, you can cut corners, live in basic accos, eat little or nothing and never spend a penny outside to save but why come to the US when you cannot get a taste of the quality of life here? Don’t look at savings until you work hard and grow up the ladder quickly to make the 120K plus salaries. This is a great land that rewards those who can push themselves hard – remember, everyone works 40 hours a week, successfull ones work 60 hours or more with all other things equal! That is when you can do a 25% savings rate.
Hello Friends,
I am going to Orlando, Florida this december along with my wife and 3 yrs old son (both on H4). My package break up is like:
– Base Salary: $70,000 per year
– Benefit Allocation: $10,000 (this will include health insurance, cell phone, internet connection …)
– Year End Bonus
I am yet to clearify from my employer about Benefit allocation if it is included in the basic salary or additional.
I am looking for an estimate of monthly fixed expenses.
Rent, Taxes (no state tax there I guess), food, phone, electricity, water, internet, school.
Will I be able to do some saving or it will be difficult to manage. Anybody from that location or who knows the expenses there well, could you please help.
If you are living in the bay area, that is, San Jose, Fremont, Sunnyvale then following is the breakup of probable expenses and savings.
http://thetomorrowbeckons.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-much-would-it-professional-save-in.html
take home $1404/month
groceries $300/month
rent $600/month
utilities $200/month
savings $ 300 /month
living in upstate NY.
I am amazed to know that people get so good salaries (60K, 75K…).
I get 48K annually (courtesy of the company I work for) , i am single, bought a car, rented an apartment and do some savings..
After few months, you will come to know what fits into budget and what doesn’t.. Where to buy and where not to.. And if you just see what you ‘need’, you will spend wisely, but if you see what you ‘want’ , any salary in the world is not enough..
What are the deductions from my salary ?
Tax information – State Tax – http://taxes.about.com/od/statetaxes/a/highest-state-income-tax-rates.htm ; Federal Tax – http://taxes.about.com/od/Federal-Income-Taxes/fl/Federal-Income-Tax-Rates-for-the-Year-2014.htm
This is what I have put together from the various websites:
Federal Tax – 10%
State Tax – 6%
Social Security – 6.45%
Medicare – 1.45%
Is there anything else ( leaving aside medical and dental insurance costs) they will deduct from my salary ? Also, what will be the minimum / maximum cost of Medical + Dental insurance that will be deducted by my employer ?
Hii,
With the pay of 120000$ per annum can we survive and save enough of money in sanfranscico… What will be the total cost of expense for husband and wife?? Please tell me
Hi Nandini,
SF has one of the most expensive housing prices in the US. Having said that, a pay of $120K is pretty decent. Depending on whether you wanna live in the city or the outer districts your rent could vary between 4k(in the city) to 2500 around the SFSU area. Public Transportation is gr8 within the city so that should work up to 100 bucks for the MUNI/BART or a little more if you intend to use a car. Utilities and other costs work up to the estimates above in the article. Depending on your spending habits you can live quite comfortably in SF.
SFO is costly than the other bay area cities like San Jose, Sunnyvale, Fremont. You may try to the option of staying in Fremont and traveling to SFO using BART. For your information, here is the expenses v/s savings for the bay area cities:
http://thetomorrowbeckons.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-much-would-it-professional-save-in.html
Hi,
I’m making Rs 17 lac per annum (gross salary) in India. It translates to roughly 1.10 lac per month after taxes.
I’m expecting an offer soon from US employer in St. Pete. What should be a good enough salary there? I’m willing to accept the offer only if I can save 2500 $ per month. I’m single.
Hi Karan,
I am in a similar situation and would like to know more about the offer u got and how much u are able to save?
Actually i am also not interested to go if my savings is anywhere below $2000K in US.
Regards
Hello everybody.
Company I work offered me to transfer to the US with a salary of $70000/yr. I wonder if you can tell me if this amount is enough to live in San Antonio, TX. I am married and have two kids.
Thanks.
Hi, i am coming to Seattle usa on march 2014 on l1-b visa. Is this visa good for long term work ? Or i need to apply any other visa. Also my gross sal will be 97000. I will be single living here. How much cost of living will b here. How much i will b able to save ?
Thanks, pranab
Hope you had a good flight and settled now in Seattle . I am trying to find cost of living at Seattle . Can you please share your email /contact to get more info ?
thanks,
Rajesh.
Hi,
Can anybody provide an estimation of the Cost of Living in Durham, North Carolina for a Family (with Kid).
Thanks
Babu
Folks,
I would be travelling to New York soon with salary around 62K. I heard that NY is too expensive. Can someone help in understanding whether I will be able to survive with this salary in NY? Forget about big savings, I am happy if I am able to survive in NY with my take home pay.
PS: I am single and would be in a shared room.
we’ve bent to tour in NYC for 3 nights,we found stay at one gujju’s (potel) cheap level dorm system hostel kinda motel for $35 a night.was quite clean though.
it was on 41 the avenue,straight left from greyhound port authority,in beside of NY times office.was preety cheap but was shared though.
For NYC, you can stay in Jersey City on shared accommodation with your friends or colleagues.. As a bachelor you would spend approx 800 Min – 1100 Max per month including all your expenses.
Hi,
I will be getting 75k for a San Jose job and planning expenses,along with a wife , as under.Is it realistic :
rent 1500
food 300
travel 200
office café for lunch/per month 200
utilities/calling 150
weekends 100
medical 300
expenses 2750
tax 1867
Savings 1633
Hi Saurab,
I attended h1b interview at London consulate. They issued me 221 g form saying she need to do some administrative processing. and asked to send below documents to email id mentioned in the form
CV
List of publications
Invitation letter from sponsoring institution in US
Employment letter .
I m confused about List of publications .
any one in the forum faced similar kind of issue..
Please suggest me .
Can Anyone tell me how is albuquerque,NM as a location. Also is $62000 salary enough for this location. How much will be the take home salary?
62k >after taxes >41550> 3500 PM net take home.
Least household gonna depend on your life style,exm. min rent 500,food 500-800 ,,groceriess 150,cellphone 100,gas 200 (well,If you can afford car),,,,,
I save around $2500,where I was told 75k.where My back home chennai,salary was 6 lcs pa.so its all you gonna get double bucks wht you get bck in hm.best of luck & welcome to stats hommyyy.
All around if you’r here for exposure,its good savings gonna be second point.
@Prasheek,
Are you in US…? You were saying you save $ 2500..If you dont mind can u tell me what is your gross salary?
I am asking above ques to confirm savings to salary ratio even though it depends on your lifestyle and the cost of living of the place where u r staying.
Hey Bud I don’t know Howmuch you gonna save or spend,I shared my past which is going to be your provisional experience in stats.Infact whatI’ve wrought-up was just minimum base expenses,so It may be less savings for you.well about me,I bent here on L1(55k NY) to h1(75kCL) since 2010 from Polaris software,but soon going to move back home for some family future cause m single & Havnt been to home due to stamping issues.I hope this infos will help you a lot.Btw apart savings, USA working exposure gonna help you a lot.
Also, Please tell me, flat 30% tax includes federal, state and medical insurance?
how much is the state tax in San Jose, California?
Is 70000$/year is sufficient to survive in San Jose, CA for a family(2 members). Please reply.
Might be a bit difficult but doable. Don’t expect to save anything much.
Hi Saurabh and Forum Team ,
I have got H1B Visa for Auburn Hills, Michigan . Base Salary : 60077 USD and 2300 for Medical Insurance . I am single so no family. Can you please help me to know useful things being in USA.
1) How to find apartment nearby auburn hills? ((Big Challenge for Me)) > There are no seniors or other members 🙁 in Auburn Hills .
2) How to find Public Transport availability ? Should I buy a car ? I have Indian Driving L. If not what should I do to get USA Driving L
3) And very silly but a qn .. When I come out of Airport ? Taxi ? CAB ?
Please pls help me 🙁 I ll be thankful to all .
-Gunjan
For the love of god, they are paying you 60K a year and you have these knd of questions to ask! Why don’t you use the millions of websites to find acco, also you should find a place close to work if not you need to get a car. FYI taxi and cab are the same thing! Can you not post in community sites asking people who actually live there these questions?
I still don’t know who is willing to pay you 60K
Dude….just take a cab for first month and in mean while fix yourself with a car. As you NEED one in metro Detroit area.
And for your all other questions please research a little …it’s not that hard.
my husband s h1 aproved.his salary per year $75000 in detroit. is a good salary? help me any one.
75000 is good but you need to understand that cost of living will vary a lot depending upon the neighborhood you choose to live in.
And also depends upon your lifestyle . 🙂 . Welcome to Metro Detroit
I was getting $70,000 in Minnesota at one point, but barely could save $1000 per month, with no kids and moderate lifestyle.
You have to definitely consider the following expenses:
1. Health insurance cost- $300-$500 per month
2. Doctor visits/check-ups – $200-$600 per year (for healthy family)
3. Internet and cable- $50 per month
4. Receration/visiting places- $1000-$2000 per year
5. Eating out- $100- $300
6. Shopping- $100- $300 per month
7. Initial settlement cost (buying furniture etc)- $ 500- $2000
8. State Tax in Minnesota- $350 approx.
9. School expenses for children- $100-$200 (there are other expenses even though basic education is free)
Also in case you are reffered toa hsopital for check-ups (scan\ultrasound\minor surgery), this can cost you say between- $200 – $5000 , or even more depending on your insurance coverage.
Going to USA for $55,000 is a risk , unless you are confident about getting a higher salary in few months.
Thanks,
Sam
Thanks Sam,
This is really helpful information for me.
VJK
I am having H1B visa for Tampa , Florida and company is offering 63k annually I am going with spouse, how much I will be able to save ?
Thanks
Very helpful!! Can one stay in USA with only one income family with only husband working if spouse is on H4 visa and does not have work permit?
Diya,
It all comes down to what salary the H-1 holder is getting, what location the person is in and how much they want to spend on a monthly basis.
Lolllzzz I just had an dental Root canal surgery in my mouth N I loose almost my 4 months salary savings.Yet not married otherwise I could save nothing in albany Ny,better to stay back india if you’r earning 50k-60pm.Believe it or not then choice all yours.think T(2)WiSe.
vasim dodiya,
Bad dental insurance?
Hi,
I have H1B and planning to move US sometime first week of August to Minnesota, MN.
Can somebody help me in getting an expenses charter (may be approx) as i will be joined by my spouse and 2 kids. 1 will be school going kid (6 yrs old).
Also please appraise me about applicable taxes both state and federal.
Thanks,
VJK
Any idea how much would car insurance cost in the USA for let’s say a new Elantra or similar
Let’s say in LA, californa
Almost close but travel is a big ticket item especially with families. India (>1000/ticket) and within US atleast $3000 – $5000 a year for a family works atleast 300/month.
Its totally depends how you are living in USA. I have seen some of my friends spending as little as $500 per month and still surviving. they never eat out. They didn’t bought any car and always have some one whom they ask for lift. Sharing two bedroom 1 bath apartment with 5 more guys. I was surprised when they told me the breakdown of money spent every month and how much they saved after just 10 months living in US. I was living at the same place from last 2 year and was not able to save even half the money that they have saved. And this apply to only bachelors as no family can live like that and save money.
As I said its totally depends on you and your aim. Whether you are coming to US just to save money or enjoy the culture and explore new world.
Sir, Can you please share the details of where I can get to know the taxes charged for different locations in USA.
Everything makes sense to me. The big loop hole here is that I don’t know anyone who settles down to a pay as low as 60000$/yr even after getting married and having children. Not even 10-15% fall into this category. They usually make a lot more and many make sure that the other person works too. So now you see a huge difference in savings and that ‘s the reason everyone still wants to be here. Apart from money its about the lifestyle you experience. With a 300 – 500$ car payment you will probably be driving a Merc or BMW if you like but like wise in India even a Sonata is not possible.
Hi,
You should also think of Medical Insurance for spouse and kids (if any).. Certain companies put this burden on the employee and the cost could go as high as $500 for a family with 2 kids.
Calbe(time warner/AT&T) is usually around $50 since you want a high speed connection for streaming Indian/regional channels using yupp tv.
H1B Approved
You had forgot about the trips people make in a year. Atleast 2 trips pre year. So on an average 1000-1500$ per year on trips.
I think Cable and Internet is also a monthly necessity.
Every thing matching my expensis in Atlanta, GA. But you missed health insurance and fedaral/state taxes which is around $250.
i think those are the part of your gross salary so his calculation about 3700 take home is correct and it does consider fedaral/state taxes