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.
You can check RentCafe’s Average Rent by US City to get an idea of the rent in the location you plan to stay.
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 an 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 what 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?
- State 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.
Looking at your salary of $60,000 USD or $120,000 USD per year, without considering taxes and your expenses, will give you wrong perceptions about savings and your financial planning. So, think about all the expenses and then
Also, you could use a website like Numbeo to calculate the general cost of living and then calculate your savings.
Did I miss any expenses? How are your expenses living in the US? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
You can also read Cost of living in USA as Student on F1 Visa
hi all,
this year I got an selected in h1 lottery. the person who sponsored told me that you can work anywhere in US.Project and location not decided yet. On paper he said salary is 62500$. I am 8 years of experience and in niche technology.Currently is in Germany and having really good job. The consultancy telling me to do contracting on per hour rate and they will take 20% of that amount every month. I have to bear cost of insurance , relocation for each project and all other expenses by my self. Apart from that he told me rate per hour in my technology will be 90 or 100$ per hour. I am not sure about this job. Is this beneficial to take this type of jobs? any idea of this type of contracting. They also mentioned you need to file one year of contract otherwise I have to pay 12000$. Guys please advice me? How is the medical systems in US?
kumarkumar,
1. If the employer is not paying for any insurance, then it may be a lot per month if you have buy it from market. Usually, employers are able to negotiate a better deal and then bear 80-90% of the costs.
2. Bonded labor is not allowed in US. So your employer cannot force you to pay 12K USD on termination. They can ask for reasonable business losses, and that needs to be demonstrated in a court. Lot of times, this is a fear inducing tactic.
3. Your employer looks like a money minded, non-employee friendly consulting company. If your petition is already approved, and you know the receipt number, then another employer can file a cap-exempt petition for you. Move to a better paying and more employee friendly employer.
can anyone tell me , if i refuse to come.then what most they can do against me?
kumarkumar,
They can harass you, and send you some legal notices to generate fear.
is it only fear. Or they can do anything?
Have you signed any document before filling the H1B ? If no then there is no obligation at all.
If you you already knew that these would the rates and signed some documents it would become different issue.
Ideally no one can force you to come down to USA and work.. Max they would ask you to pay the amount they invested for your filling . But I would suggest talking to a legal advisor would be better .. My two cents.
yes i signed one document.But still visa is not stamped on passport and i am not is US. what they can do maximum?
kumarkumar,
What’s the document that you have signed? They cannot sue in US for the H-1 fees as its their responsibility by law. They may sue in India and I am not aware about Indian laws. But you haven’t started your employment w/ them yet, so I don’t think they have a strong case.
Hi ,
My wife and I earn have a combined salary of 24 lacs . I have been offered 67K $ in New Jersey , H1 B. My wife will be dependent on me and not working in US. Will I be able to save more in US than in India ?
Please suggest .
No you cannot save to what you are doing currently in India.
Manish,
You are better off in India. If your wife gets job in US on H-1B and you both move to better paying jobs, then its a different story. However, for that to happen several things need to fall in place starting with she getting her H-1B in the crazy lottery system.
Hi Friends,
Visa: L1B,
US salary: 75,000 USD per annum
Location: Austin, Texas.
Right now, i am getting 10 lacs per annum in India.
I am bachelor and how much can i save ?
Thanks in advance!!
Hi,
I was offered by my company as around $4800 per month in-hand/take-home salary + 5% to 6% variable pay. My company mentioned that this amount is after giving the tax, so I don’t need to worry about any taxation. And also, they will pay my health insurance, so I don’t need to give any premium too. I’ll live in Plano/Texas from next month. I’m not married yet. So guys, need your opinions about how much can I save here monthly basis?
I think this question has been answered number of times…
4800$ Salary
1500-1700$ roughly expenses (Renting a Room in apartment, food, commute, utilities )
Rest should be your savings
Hi,
How much can I save on salary of $60K per annum in Detroit, MI?
Hi,
How much can I save on salary of $60K per annum in Detroit, MI?
I will be with my wife & 2yrs old son. Need atleast 1 BHK on rent & 1 Car on Rent.
Thanks
Hi I have been offered a role in Reno NV with a salary of $65000..I want to know the cost of living and also savings possibility
Hi,
I am getting a job offer of 80,000 in Atlanta.
My current salary in India is around 18Lacs pa.
I will be moving with my wife and a 2 year old baby.
Please guide what should i do or what is the cost of living in atlanta for a family of 2+1.
Thanks.
My husband got L1 visa and a consultancy offered 95k USD in Mineeapolis, In India its 20L PA. I am earning 12LPA in India. Should we move to US?? If so what is tha pay package I will get in US??
Hi Deepa,
How did your Husband get a L1 Visa?Is he working in the company for long time?Will they give pay rise every year? Make sure these questions are answered. Yes This 95K is reasonable and you can live.Depends on your L1 visa you can work here as well
Hi,
I would like to move to CA for job. I am into Accounts Payable and I have 4 yrs experience and right now I am working with Genpact, India. I been to Poland for On Job Training in 2014 and in 2015.
Can anyone suggest me how to move to US and get a job relating to my profile.
Thank Yo
Hi,
My company offers me 60k per year in Kansas. i am married with a new born baby of 9 months. what would be my cost of living in Kansas and how much i can save? please help
Rent & Utility 1300
Auto Insurance 100
Health Insurance 500
Groceries, Hotel Food, etc 600
Phone 100
Hi,
My husband is getting L1A. His pkg is arnd 25 lac and i am also working with pkg arnd 12lac p.a. His compnay is offering 90k USD.
He is moving to Irvine CA. Also having one boy of 7 year old. What would be living cost in Irvine near thales (including rent, grocery, car, kids education : decent lifestyle). we do have some emi’s here for home loan. will be able to save money for home loans in INDIA. i will be on L2 – what are the chances to get job(Testing) on L2 and salary.
we are confused what to do ?
You are having around 35 lacs of combined salary. I am currently in US, california(Bay area). I dont see any point for you to move to US. But if u want to gain some experience of US, then its a diff issue. but savings wise, u r better off in US
Thanks Varun, I know but sometimes situations arises to move on still on planning. Taking on +ve node, how much chances to get job on L2 on software testing.
getting a job on L2 is not easy. Assuming that only ur husband works and earns 90k salary. U wont be able to save much. U also have a school going kid. If i were u, i wont consider coming to US.
Neetu, you should move to US. No need to be confused at all. You can easily get a job with L1 EAD as you have experience. I know people who have worked even in big US companies with L1 EAD. Your husband take home would be around 5000 pm. And even if you get a job for 75k, your family’s total take home income would be 9 k per month. Even if you spend 4k per month, you are left with 5k savings which is 3 lac per month and 36 lacs per year. In India your gross pay itself is less than that and post taxes and expenses you can save only 10-15 lacs. You should go for this and there is no reason to be confused at all. You can close all your debts back home in no time and you will have better standard of life (inc son’s education) too. After a year of 75k and footing well, you can even jump jobs (as you are on EAD) for a higher salary to save more.
Thank you very much Curid!..we will check out surely. Thing is getting job on L2.
Correction:
You are having around 35 lacs of combined salary. I am currently in US, california(Bay area). I dont see any point for you to move to US. But if u want to gain some experience of US, then its a diff issue. but savings wise, u r better off in India
Hi is there any chance for fresher??? I don’t have any experience right now Andy husband has an L1
Having been in Irvine since last 2 months, I think I am qualified to
answer this question.
Your take home would be around 5400-5600(assuming 3 allowances-
standard for family of 3). Check ADP tax calculator for better
insight.
Your expenses would be – ~1700-1750 in rent, 400 grocery, 500-600 car,
300 utility, 400 misc- 3400 per month. Good thing is your son is above
preschool age and his education would be free. Preschool is another
big expense people fail to identify. Pre-schooling is quite expensive
in Irvine- its 800-900 per month!
So considering that, you would still be able to save some 1500-1800.
Positive side is this is all clear- there are no hidden taxes, surprises.
Now cases changes for L2-EAD. Irvine is OK ecosystem for Technology
jobs- this place is famous for more of Biotech jobs than software. I
will not be able to comment much on this without knowing your
experience.Another case would be to add second car if you get job- add
some 600 more. You may also need to consider day-care expenses if you
get a job.
Thank you for sharing info AP! and Yes was not aware of Preschool 🙂 then it would be really very difficult. As you are already in Irvine would like to know
1) I am Manual test Lead in service based company here what are the chances to get job in Irvine. I am ok to switch job profile also(earlier having 3-4 years of dev experience).
2) My husband job place would be in Thales – if you have any idea you can share info on that.
3) how much time will take for L2 to start work, considering will submit EAD form as soon as i reach Irvine.—> guessing you might aware of.
again thank you for sharing info.
Hi AP!, can you please update on my queries.
Thank You.
As I am also new to this place, I am not sure about job market related to Testing.
Thank you AP!
Hi AP
Thanks for your earlier updates, any other update now you would like to tell, as its one more month. Only thing is on l2 hows testing job availability in Irvine. As i told my husband is going to be work in thales.
Regards
Sonu Jain
Since you would have L2 EAD and you have good options to get a job.
In Midwest, people can get rates of $45-$50 per hour for testing. I believe rates will be better in bay area
Hi,
My conpany has nominated h1b and got selected in lotter and even got approval notice. after my interview they may offer me to Hartford – Connecticut USA with 72K salary.. Am gonna take my wife and 1.5 years kid along with me.. please suggest how much i can save.
Thanks in Advance.
Regards
Deva
I am currently in US. getting around 130K. married and 2 yr old kid. Wife doesnt work here but she can work in india. I want to move to india. How much CTC can i expect? I have got 8 yrs of exp in software development field.
It would also depend on your domain (Java, DBA, BA) .. 8yr exp .. May be around 17lc+
Hey Varun,
It really depends on the kind of company you work for. The range is really wide at this point in time. If you land a job at e-commerce companies Flipkart, Amazon etc you could get in the range on 20 Lacs p/a. Also, if you land up at services company, this will be 10 lacs p/a. As a rule of thumb, if you do not have overseas ambitions, do not go to services company.
You can expect 15 lakh+ CTC…
I am being offered with a L1A job in an Orthopaedic firm in Warsaw, Indiana with an annual package of $80K & bonus of $12k. I am planning to live in Warsaw, with my wife & son. My son is on sixth grade & would like to continue his education in the USA. How much will I be saving on a monthly basis.
Thanks for all your responses
Antony
Thanks @Ramesh for your answer.
Would you please explain if you have considered all possible expenses regarding household,car,grocery,utility,internet etc and one round trip to India for 3? Should I consider any other expenses apart from these ?
Thx again for help.
36k expenses what roughly it would come. ( rent, car, food, entertainment, mobile, internet) Max it should be 3000 usd per month .. Add another 3000 usd once in a year for your round trip to India .. Not considered health insurance .. Which should be some where 500$ per month .. Not really sure on this as they are numrious plans to opt for
Hi friends,
I have got an offer with my company in Plano Texas. The yearly package is about 66 K USD (this is after tax). I plan to move with my wife and 2.5 year old kid from India. Can you give me an idea as to what can I expect to save yearly while living in Plano, Texas? I will be mostly renting a 1BR apartment with basic amenities and will be having a car (basic) as Plano does not have much of public transport. What other costs would I have to consider apart from Rent,Groceries,Car ? Please consider, I will be making 1 round trip to India in a year. I will be on L1 B and my wife and kid will be on L2. Please suggest the amount I can expect to save yearly with the package mentioned above. Also, can I expect any tax refunds in US ? If yes, how much would that be?
Thanks in advance!
RC.
30k to 35k should be your savings
Hi all
I got an offer for a hospital manager post at red buff California. 65k. I ams non technical guy with 20 yrs of experience. Am planning to go with my family my wife and 2 kids 5 yrs and 11yrs. Do I go for the offers. Am not happy with my take home here an am keen to go to US. I have no committmetments of any kind. Please suggest. Also let me know if there is growth for non technical staff inUSA
Thank you
Subbu
@everyone who got visas… please stop asking questions if you need to come to US or be at India. I have not seen a single person having visa and staying back in India. Unless you get 40 lacs package in India, US opportunity is better any day, be it for living standards, opportunities etc. With h1b changing job is always an option. So starting salary should not matter at all.
Have 40+ salary here in India. Am moving for 5 years to US to checkout living at a new place, clean air and better traffic.
My US job will be not be as good a profile or as fulfilling as my current one here in India. My savings rate may be lower as well comparatively.
Plan is to not settle in US(or apply for GC), continue to save at same rate(hopefully), come back to India and start a startup. Will see how things go.
I have been offered H1B sponsorship at annual package of $65000 per year including individual health insurance and $ 10,000 bonus on completion of one year and 10 days paid leaves in year. Not sure about the work location. Staffing company is based out at New Jersey. Company is asking for 2 years contract with them or a fine of $ 15,000. I am an IT Project Manager- Delivery (Global) with a solid background working as a Senior Business Analyst-IT. Company has given offer of employment as ‘ Business Analyst’. My current package is INR 10.5 lacs per annum.
My Queries are:
1. Is this a good offer comparing to my total experience and current profile and current annual Indian salary?
2. How much can I save a month post tax deduction (considering stay in New Jersey) with my wife and 1 year old son?
My Case was approved and start date is October 01, 2015. My employer is preparing to apply my Visa in New Delhi now. I am still confused if I should really accept this offer. Basis on the answers given to the similar questions, I can assume less saving/no saving. Work location is not clear, my employer says they will pay me $ 5000 per year more if work location is NYC or similar costlier city.
If I deny this offer now (before visa stamping), can they take legal action and charge me $ 15,000/-. Also, in future will I/sponsor be able to file H1B?
As per contract, neither I can step back nor resign them before 2 years.
I am really doing good in my current company, I may get short term international travel to London, Romania, and other European countries. Also, I am working as a Project Manager- Delivery (Global) that I really feel great about. Whereas in US, I will be working as Business Analyst as per offer letter which I was doing earlier.
Now the main point; I also DO NOT want to loose the opportunity to live and work in the USA on H1B. You never know if you get such chance again or not.
Pls suggest, Thank you!
The offer is less for your experience in Jersey. You should easily be getting 110-130K per year
Dear Friends,
Firstly, thanks for a page which covers most important information pertaining to living expenses.
I wanted opinion about living in “Austin” with an annual package of $95K including bonus etc. I am married and my spouse is working in India and together we make ~20L currently. My wife does not have a job in US though.
I would be highly obliged if somebody, living/stayed in Austin could comment on usual expenses, nice/safe neighborhoods and any other useful information.
Please note that I am up for a comfortable life(not lavish though) in the US, but would have to put my wife through graduation program so need to save for that.
TIA for expert comments and suggestions.
Hi 95k seems to be reasonable but you will end up with no savings if u have pay the fee for your wife graduation.
Just for information : If both are making 20L in India and if you see good growth in both of your carrier better not to come to US. You might ne be able to save much. But if you like to work in US and like to use the experience back in home country then it is advisable to come to US.
Thanks Rajesh. Any suggestions on the location ? How are the taxes etc.
Hi,
Am on h4, and idle here after working in India for 2 years in clinical research company. Its been 6months staying in U.S. My husband gets $70k sal and it just flashes away with all commitments in India and life style here. Unable to save here. I came here with intension of applying to job but again huge amount to proceed so left it in having plans of baby next. But now my husband wants to go back to India. Is this is the right desicion. . I say no and tel him to apply other side of work. Totally confused here. Plz help ..
If he is not interested in changing job and if you can’t save money with current job, may I know why do you feel desperate to stay here? If you go back, you can at least salvage your career right.
Hi,
I have around 30 LPA in India.. I am looking for some offers in US.. What should be the US Salary I should look for (maybe somewhere in Chicago area)?
Married & have a 5 year old son.
Shoot for 110-120K, including bonus etc. But it is highly contingent on your experience and industry.
30 LPA in India and if you are going to US to save more, no point.
For better Life Style. May be!! again depends…..!!
30L in India i can image what kind of life you will be leading in India. I don’t see a point for you to come to US and strat the life from the scratch. Better change the company in India it self if you want more.
But if you like to live the life style in US for some time and wanna go back or may be want to become an entrepreneur then off course most welcome.
Lokesh as u said 30 LPA.. Then you must be on some advanced technology or into top/middle level Management or must be a graduate from notch Ins’s….. If you are in point 1,2 then I am sure you can demand more than 2L$/Y.. Again we cannot say until I see your complete CV…. All the best 🙂
GREEDY , B HAPPY
I have offered 60k and 10k as performance bonus upon completion of 1 year. I am married and want to live in US with my wife. Anyone please let me know how much I can save with this ? The recruiting firm will pay salary bi-weekly around $2300. Location is not confirmed yet.
I feel if u have commitments from mother country u cannot save much.. If you are free from such, yes through self controlled way u can spend and save money here… Of course as life goes on with family matters, u shud also get handsome money also.. My husband is also on h1 and we are staying here but not able to save much due to commitments..
Hi Friends,
Can someone help with the good neighborhoods to rent in Irvine, CA? I am having a family of 3 including myself. I believe by law it is required to rent at least a 2BR… Also I believe Apartments is more economical?
I am expecting 80K+ as salary in Irvine. Kindly suggest with this and provide some monthly outgo indication.
Many thanks…
I lived in Tustin, CA very close to Irvine the monthly apartment rates was 1430$/1BR and 1640/2BR…there are little cheaper option in Irvine in pace called lake forest ( rent ranges from 1200 to 1500$)…one more troubling part of those apartments is it does not come with refrigerator. Frankly 80K for place like Irvine with family is really going to push you to the limits…things are very expensive that part of the world.
Thanks Sach… Can you tell me what would be typical outgo of expenses? I have an option to check with my employer if it is going to be very difficult. I might be able to renegotiate based on any inputs on expenses…
Typical monthly expenses would be in range of 2400$ – 2600$.
Thanks a lot Sach, I guess you mentioned this as total of all expenses excluding Rent? Note the post by Kumar assumes rent as 1100 in the total of 2350.
I told you expenses including rent…
your take home would be closer to 56K so somewhere between 4800$ per month
Hi All,
I have applied for L1B- V2 and My company offered $87K, the location is Greenwood village. I am married and I have 5 Years kid.
Is it good idea to move US and please let me know living cost and saving possibilities.
Thanks
NB
Hi Friends/Guides,
My petition has been picked in the lottery this year. I am offered $80k per annum and my current Indian CTC is 14LPA. My location is USA is not yet confirmed. I am married and have 1 year kid. Can you please suggest if it’ll be good option to shift to USA (with family) or stay back in India. I don’t have any pre-inclination towards USA. Pls suggest. Thanks
With 80K salary your take home would be in range of 4500 to 5000 $ per month range depending upon exemption you opt for…so location is the criteria that matters in your case…for a 3 year old if it is long term you have to consider good school district as well. Find the location and take a call accordingly…anyways after you land here you can switch to a better company on H1b anytime…
Thanks Sach! Jut one small doubt w.r.t. my 1 year old kid: The public schools are free of charges there? And is it easy to get admission into a school (unlike in India, where it is v tough to get into a good private school).
It is very easy to get into public schools and there are many good ones in each counties of US unless you are working in very poor neighborhood. Private schools charges between 11K$-40K$ based on the school rating.
Yes, public schools are free of charge but you pay for the school as a rent or property tax…better the school more the rent/taxes
Hello everyone,
Here is my case:
1. Indian salary 20L including benefits
2. One consulting company has offered 80K- location is Irvine,CA.This is H1B visa
3. After resigning here my current company has offered 105k- location San Jose, CA. This is on L1B.
I am coming with family – wife and 3yr old daughter.
Could you please help me which is better place to stay- for both quality of life and savings potential. My friends suggest even initial time can be hard on H1, it gives me ability to switch employers and suggest to go with it.
Thanks for your help.
Go with H1b. If you loose your job you will be able to switch employers and transfer your H1b.
Both location are good. Having a car is a must though.
Thanks for information, git!
Regards,
JP
You might want to check cost of living in both places. But advantage of L1B is your wife can start working on L2. And you can find job later on H1B anytime. All you need is company to file and sponser you. Meanwhile next year your wife can apply for H1. With H4 she can not work. Also your kid will be going to preschool soon , so your wife can work part time as well.
Hi guys,
Finally I stumbled upon the thread which I was looking for a long time. I have plenty of questions and it would really kind of anyone who answers them.
I am working with a top MNC who filed my H1 which got selected in lottery. I am being positive and hoping that I get the approval too. Client is located in 6th Ave, NYC.
1. Do I need to stay in New Jersey and travel to workplace from there Or staying in NYC also economical/on par with New Jersey costs.
2. I have 3.5 yr old daughter. How much are the schooling costs in US. Tuition fees etc.
3. How much will be total cost of living per month assuming I rent a 2 bed apt, buy a car and maintain a decent lifestyle (dining out once in a while or travelling sometimes)
Thanks in Advance.
1) staying in new York would not be economical at least near your work placd. You should stay in NJ or somewhere in NY with a travel of 40 min commute to your office place. Staying in NJ is pretty comfortable !
2) cost of schooling not really sure but I assume them to be somewhere between 300-1000 USD , I m unmarried so don’t take my words for this point
3) if u live in NY owning a car would make very less sense, as even parking place are expensive say 15$ per hr , if you stay in NJ you can still think to buy a call so that you can use it for road trips ! But NOT going for office as it would become a costly affait.
Cost of living the style your stating should be around 3500-4000 USD per month .
I live in NJ and work in NY, if you want you can drop me email to give you more inaights.. Email I’d of gmail: ramesh.botta
Thanks a ton Ramesh 🙂
That helped a lot. I will email you my further queries.
Cheers!!
How much can I save in Pittsburgh? I will be getting around $3800 in hand. I am unmarried.
Some where near 2300 to 2500$
Hello parvinder singh, can you let me know the average saving per month in new york. my office will be in medison avenue.
i am a bachlor and a vegiterian/no drinks/ no smoking. my company will be paying me about $3500 per month in hand.
If you want to really save then you can save around 2000$ Max ..
Room rent (sharing )= 500$
Utility /mobile/travel = 300$
Food expenses = 600-700$
My org is offering me 100K$ salary. would be placed in Verginia
I have 2 kids 9 and 12 yrs old
post tax deduction, schooling and all other cost…what would be average savings per month
Two kids and saving ….you should be kidding … If new to US first year will be spent in buying car, improving credit history, paying insurance blah…blah… So don’t think about saving, if the kids need pre schooling(under 5), then your trip will be mostly like paid vacation.
Hi,
My organisation is giving me an option of H1b with 92k, location California.
Also, other offer I’m getting out here with company X is 18lpa.
My wife HR role would be planning to study for fetching job there.
Query:
1) what are your genuine advice in this context.
2) switching job with some other organisation there after sometime can increase and enhance situation?
Kindly help me
If I was in you place might have gone with option of switching job in india itself .
But yes .. If have long term view to stay in USA then you can come here and then plan to move to other companies to enhance your career
Hi folks,
I got an offer from my company at 155K in east cost (Nashua/New hamshire). My current CTC is 28.5L in India.
I have home loan and paying total EMI of 80K in India.
I would need to relocate with my wife and two kids (5 and 2 years) old.
Do you think I should consider the offer.
Arun
Take home is expected to be around 9K
Not sure how much schooling would cost, but expect you will be spending a minimum of 3k and schooling of your 5yr old kind excluded.. so that should leave you with quite decent figure to save.
My opinion, you can go for it !
NH is pretty cheap cost of living state when compared to other North east States. so , you should be good. go ahead.
but beware, NH is most freakiest cold weather state most of the year. I live in MA.
I heard from friends here, public schools are almost free. Unless you go for private ones, you don’t have to pay.
I got an offer from a well known US based company. They are offering 65000$ fixed and 5000 as bonus depend on My joining location would be either California. I need to know is it good / ok or a decent compensation for a 10 year experience UI Developer/ Graphic Desginer .My Indian salary is 11 lacs
My Queries are:
1. Is this a good offer comparing to my total experience and current profile and current annual Indian salary?
2. How much can I save a month (considering stay in California) with my wife and 4 year old son?
Hi Arun,
Since you have 10+ yrs of exp….at 65k you are highly underpaid.Also Cost of living in CA is quite high. In my org, guys with 4+ yrs exp get 65k.
sorry addressed you wrongly as Arun.
Hello,
I read lots of negative reviews of “Xenon infotek”, N J. I personally feel that somebody has spent hell lot of time in posting those comments. Sometimes I feel that same person has posted the reviews by different ids and name due to personal enmity or rage.
I am in a great confusion as what to do. According to the reviews @immihelp.com this desi consultancy is not good in paying salary on time and there are many bad things. According to the blog, they are running many consultancies at the same address by same person. I have not been able to find anybody who is working in IT profile with this company in FB or Linkdin.
Can you guys kindly guide me what to do ? is it a common problem with most desi companies, if yes then how should we deal with it? Are all desi companies run the payroll on bench to save the status ?
Should I go ahead with this consultancy for H1 Filing?
Cheers,
SKG
Hi,
Even I have applied this year. Have you got any update from them???
Please let me know.
Hi,
I have around 10 yrs of experience. My employer is ready to file my H1. At my role I except around 95k in a major city. I also have an offer in Hyderabad for 19 lpa. What would you suggest?
Thanks
If Living in US is not a dream for you then go for 19lc package.
Reasons:
-Close to Family and friends
-Standard of living in hyd is good for living, pollution might be more but we are habitual of that
– per month max of 1.5lc what would can save in US ( this does not cover any flight tickets to India ! nor any vacation not even once a year) which you can easily give to your family in India
– In india if u do not have any loan i see you can easily save 1.1lc
Looks like US dream has no more popularity,I really feel brain drain has finally started as I spot lump numbers of US-indo Techies either choosing indian companies or other developed nations alike australia & canada.
Hi my company is sponsors H1B visa with $64 k salary, but the state or city is not fixed. could you please help out what will be expenditure and how much i can save if i take my wife over there.
Thanks
Amit
Amit, the above article exactly outlines answer to your question.
I see you saving around 90-95k INR
Hi,
I am currently employed in India and have H1B.I am married with a 3 month old son. My current employer is paying around 100k in the Bay Area(Sanjose, Sanfrancisco) and around 95k in Seattle.
I got another offer from another firm which is paying me 20 lpa in Hyderabad. Please let me know which is a better proposition interms of lifestyle and savings. The role offered in India is better than that of the onsite role.
100 k though may sound a lot but in reality it is not that high in todays market. In the bay area 100k is something that is a must, if one chooses to live a decent lifestyle. A 20lpa package is a decent one and if you compare 20lpa to a 100k, I will say that you will be able to live a better lifestyle back home. Having said that you can use that as a start and then look for better opportunities once you come in. Bay area is the best place to find new opportunities.
All the best!!
-Vijay
Thank you Vijay
If Living in US is not a dream for you then go for 20lc package.
Reasons:
-Close to Family and friends
-Standard of living in hyd is good for living, pollution might be more but we are habitual of that
– Work you started is better, that’s what going to give you growth in further
– per month max of 1.5lc what would can save in US ( this does not cover any flight tickets to India ! nor any vacation not even once a year) which you can easily give to your family in India
– In india if u do not have any loan i see you can easily save 1.3lc
Hi Friends,
My Payroll Consultancy is saying that they will decide my salary after the client interview and the interview will happen after my H1B visa is approved.
The Consultancy is not releasing any formal offer letter but they are asking me to sign an employment bond/agreement for 2 years. In the agreement they have quoted a salary of 52500$ Annually.
Friends, I request you all to advise if this is also a process to decide salary or my consultancy is providing wrong information & planning to cheat once visa is approved ?
They are not disclosing the salary as they are not sure of the location where they will post you. assume they would pay you min salary as per the LC which would be filed. 72k for NYC for you reference . also consider around 28-29% of tax if your not married.
Don’t worry about payroll, once you get H1b and move to US you can demand more as per market rate. if your employer doesnt pay you can just find 100s of better ones willing to pay you.
Hi Friends,
I have been offered H1B sponsorship at annual package of $65000 per year including individual health insurance and $ 10,000 bonus on completion of one year and 10 days paid leaves in year. Not sure about the work location. Staffing company is based out at New Jersey. Company is asking for 2 years contract with them or a fine of $ 15,000. I am an IT project Manager with a solid background working as a Senior Business Analyst-IT. Company has given offer of employment as ‘ Business Analyst’. My current package is INR 10.5 lacs per annum.
My Queries are:
1. Is this a good offer comparing to my total experience and current profile and current annual Indian salary?
2. How much can I save a month (considering stay in New Jersey) with my wife and 1 year old son?
Hoping to hear from you experienced people as my decision to accept this offer with H1B sponsorship is based on your valuable advice.
Warm Regards,
Sajid Mohammed
March 10, 2015
Bro,65k is decent to head life in stats,but exposure & experience counts rather than your savings.
1.Holding such a prestigious experience(you) worth more but it’s individual’s choice.
2.As I dictated earlier,you won’t save much but say around 1000 to 1500 USD & may be less if you tend to live lavish.
I personally believe,you don’t wanna loose a job which pays you very well (10 lacs a year) cause living & taxes are way cost effective than United stats in india. Infact if you’ve such a handsome salary near home itself than no country is better than India for a gentleman like you.best of luck.
I would suggest you to take this offer. TBH, 10.5L is not that good but after your exposure in US, you would scale better if you would want to come back. Yes, you will be able to support your wife and your child in this package but savings would not be as high as $1350 (like mentioned in the article).
Thank you Amit- My Case was approved and start date is October 01, 2015. My employer is preparing to apply my Visa in New Delhi now. I am still confused if I should really accept this offer. Basis on the answers given to my questions, I can assume less saving/no saving. Work location is still not clear, my employer says they will pay me $ 5000 per year more if work location is NYC or similar costlier city.
If I deny this offer now (before visa stamping), can they take legal action and charge me $ 15,000/-. Also, in future will I/sponsor be able to file H1B?
As per contract, neither I can step back or resign them before 2 years.
I am really doing good in my current company, I may get short term international travel to London, Romania, and other European countries. Also, I am working as a Project Manager- Delivery (Global) that I really feel great about. Whereas in US, I will be working as Business Analyst as per offer letter which I was doing earlier.
Now the main point; I also DO NOT want to loose the opportunity to live and work in the USA on H1B. You never know if you get such chance again or not.
Pls suggest, Thank you!
Sorry Amita to addressed you as Amit.
@Siddique: Thank you for your input. Pls advise further on this.
Can anyone please tell me how much I can save with me and my wife living at Foster City
My company has offered me 100k/Year gross
100k a year is good enough to stay in the bay area. taxes should shave off 35k from your salary., that’s 65k in hand – around 5.5k a month. you should be able to save anywhere between 800-1000$ a month.
Thanks Sree!
100k sounds good,but general day to day expenses & outrageous state taxes as well as federal taxes eat big chunk out of your pay cheque.So I coming to number (100k), a single could save 2000 to somewhere 2500 bucks a month where you’ve wife coming with that will break your savings to around less than half of I assumed cause you’ll rent atleast 1 bhk appartment which goes anywhere around min 1200 to 2000.
Thanks Mohit!
$12-1600.
Hi all,hope you’r doing very well.I’ve a employer via one of my closest friend in san jose,CA offering me 65k.As being a current & 6 year experienced employee of reputed firm alike Amazon & owner of yearly package of allmost 8 lacs(take home),should I took a chance to go on H1 this year with this employer !I know Everything is not gold that glitters (US) according to my friend based in Sanjose,but still for an american exposure should I pack my bags with my nuclear family of one daughter & wife !Please let me know asap,I’m in little dillema,Thanks anyways,Hope you guys have good one.
single person earning (own experience)65k
3791 PM-500 min rent(share)-200 food(min)=3091 PM take home.
PS number comes down with car,internet,cell phone,electricity,going out for food,Drinks at bar,cabs,visit to india (1500-2000)*60=hope I helped well.good luck.
Thanks Dhruv,Though got similar replies from allmost everyone,Thanks for everything.I got my doubts crystal clear & made it WaSy for me to come down to acuity towards savvy decision.Thankshank.
With small family you would save bread & butter,some what around 1k.A precious tip-I would never ever step out such designation,If I would you.
bests.
Dear Sirs,
I got an H1B offer with $60K/yr in NJ, I’m going there with my wife and my kid in 5 years old, would you please help to give some guide on how much could we save based on this situation?
Thanks!
LoveT
U can save 1000 $ a month with decent life style.
kanaiya,
Thank you very much for your reply!
It’s really great helpful!
don’t loose your current post in india if you make around 8lcs,I’ve same case,I was out of project on H1,came back to india & lost my previous networks too.
I got an offer from a well known US based company. They are offering 60000$ fixed and 5% as bonus. My joining location would be either Chicago or Charlotte. I need to know is it good / ok or a decent compensation for a 4.5 year experience Java developer.My Indian salary is 9 lacs and being a single guy how much I can look forward to save.
My New employer un US offering 75000$ fixed and 10% as bonus so it would 82000$ my joining location would be either chicago or Charlotte. I need to know is it very good / good or a decent compensation for a 7 year experience Java devloper.My Indian salary is 12lacs and being a single guy would i be able to save enough money.
Ravi,
I can talk only about Charlotte – I lived and worked around NC for about 4 years before moving. Charlotte is a beautiful, pretty inexpensive city and pretty as in beautiful city to live in. With 75K a year, you are looking at a Gross Pay of about 2.9K every two weeks – this doesn’t include all your deductions. Expect to loose about 900 to 1K in tax (Federal, State, Insurance) which, will leave about 1.9K every two weeks (after taxes & deduction). Now, as for expenses, you can find a nice – single bed apartment for about $850 a month, certain places pay your utilities and some do not. Even though I would like to keep the expenses a little low, I usually prefer to stay at an apartment that predominantly houses white collared professionals. You are looking at about $200 a month for electricity / water / trash. Internet – the cheapest was about $50. Food – depending on how you manage, cooking would be the most cost effective thing to do! A single Indian could expect to spend about $200 a month on groceries. So, here’s your final letdown: (1.9 x 2 paychecks a month) – (850 + 200 + 50) – (200 for food) – ( $400 for transportation which includes car payments, insurance and fuel) – ($100 for medical insurance) = $2,000. in your hands. You will be saving about $1500 to $2000 a month.
Keep us posted on what you decide!
Hi All,
I am currently in Fargo, ND. My company has offered me 65k per annum. Could you please tell me how much I can save if I am living with spouse?
Thanks
Hi, Can anyone please tell me how much can i save with family at Bethesda.
My Consultancy has offered me 72k/Year.
Arun,
With 72K p.a, that breaks down to 6K p.m. Here are the issues with living near Bethesda, descent & safe neighborhoods start at approx. 1.8 to 2.4 p.m for rent (2bb). Are you willing to stay farther, take the metro line into work everyday? If thats the case, you might be able to find a place you can move away to greenbelt or even further south near lanham (no metro here), where you might be able to find a place for about 1.5K a month. The last thing you need to remember about MD is that, you have your Fed taxes, State Taxes and County taxes… so you often stand to lose more out of your monthly paycheck.. if you decide to live in VA/DC and work in MD, you are charged a non-resident tax rate. Please keep us posted on what you decide!
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….
Hi Rahul,
Your Salary is very low for family.Please ensure your Staffing Company is reliable in Paystubs and Salary.If you are more desperate in US then come alone(you can manage in sharing rooms with this salary) and make yourself comfortable and bring your family later.Some consultancies are not reliable please be aware.
All the Best.
Thanks
Thanks @ Senthil for your guidance.
Which staffing consultancy ?
Hi Freinds,
I offered with H1B Sponsorship by some Staffing Consultancy company at 85K $/year without bonus and health insurance but they are paying Employer taxes(I don’t know what this means though). I am single.
My query is does this 85K $ should remain enough after 2015 October based on annual inflation index in US.
I don’t know the State as of now as it will depend upon the project at that point of time, So don’t know the applicable state tax.
Putting in simple words what would be the average take home salary monthly and what could be possible savings.
Note: they are charging 1.8 INR Lakh as sponsorship fee where they claim 1.2 INR Lakh is refundable in event of non selection in Lottery.
Hoping to hear from you experienced people as my decision to accept there H1B sponsorship is based on this.
Regards
Vishu
Hi Vishu,
Make sure your Consultancy is Reliable in Paystubs and Salary.
85k$ Should be enough for you. If you want more salary you can Move to different jobs later in US.
All the Best.