Focus put together this great infographic of salaries for various technical positions in Silicon Valley, noting that there are more tech jobs there than at the apex of the dotcom bubble. (Then again, after more than 10 years of growth, irrespective of bubbles, there ought to be.)
It doesn't take into account stock-based compensation, but it does take into account cost of living. So that great $92,000 pay in Silicon Valley will only buy you as much as $59,000 in San Diego. Worth keeping in mind.
Image: Focus
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http://www.easyexpat.com/en/geneva/work/taxes.htm
http://www.glocals.com/forums/geneva/where-how-in-geneva/89738.htm
So your statement about Europe is a little exaggerated, and not accurate for the Geneva/Zurich area.
The lower rates may be why major corporations put their European HQ in that area.
Cost of life is very high, especially in zurich.
To eat a pizza with a soft drink in a restaurant, you spend 20 CHF minimum. You can't eat a complete meal with less than 10 CHF, because to buy a shitty sandwich you spend between 5 and 8 CHF.
That's even more dollars because of the shitty (for americans) exchange rate there is now.
And the housing shortage means (no one ever moves, other than foreigners), Manhattan prices for rent, housing prices make Silicon wherever look like a bargain. Trust me, it all balances out. Sure it's higher pay, but daily living costs are no joke.
Also, how's the cost of living calculated? Rent is actually quite decent around here. The cost is extremely high if you must own a home, but if you're renting, it's very reasonable, way lower than say NYC & not much worse than San Diego.
What this chart and most charts can't do is interpret the data for you. Should you move to "the valley?" "Can you afford it?" "Will you make the big bucks?" and so on.
I love the Bay Area and the Valley, but its a tough nut to crack. If you are single, come and roll the dice, you can live pretty nice on 85-95K a year - even in the Valley. You won't be "rolling large" but you will be doing well. With a little hard work and luck, you might score some options worth something.
If you are married with kids, think long and hard about moving here - especially if you think you'll score those options that will let you retire in 5 years. That is NOT the norm. What is normal: be prepared to live in a small townhouse so you don't have to commute too far to work. Or, get a larger house in the suburbs and be prepared to spend 2-3 hours a day commuting.
I love the Valley and aside from 2 years in Oregon, have never left. It's beautiful, magical, and full of opportunity.