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Moving back to California from Hungary

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Lanchid
  11/10/2014 04:23 EST

Hi!

We are (family of 5) moving back from Hungary to California in December.
We have tons of stuff and no idea which moving company to use.
Moving from Ca to Budapest was relatively easy but the company we used do not transport container back to the States from here.

Any advice could help!
Running out of time!

Thanx,
m.
Any advice?

Hotjazzman
  11/11/2014 10:44 EST

Hi Lanchid;

I sent you a private message as well.

I'm moving household effects+ car to HU, and just spoke to an international moving company (with my move) who was not the very cheapest, but not the most expensive either, and I'm likely to use them - all things considered. (I have about six or seven quotes currently to choose from).

Upon talking to her on the phone, I remembered reading your post this AM, and asked her, if her company would move FROM HU to US/CA as well.
She said of course they would, they have assets/agent(s) in HU, so I told her that I'll give you her company, phone, address, etc and she can give you a quote and schedule.

So here it is:

Move Management International
7740 South West 104 Street, Ste. 201
Pinecrest, FL 33156

www.manageyourmove.net

Contact: Helen Shany
email: [email protected]
ph: 800-599-4316
fax: 305-887-4117

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Lanchid
  11/17/2014 06:01 EST

You are the best! Thanks a lot!
I will email them right now!

"Lanchid"

guestuser
  11/17/2014 12:58 EST

Thanks for posting this info!

I am moving from St Petersburg, FL USA to Hungary next summer. Moving companies was one big question we have so if you say these people are reliable then i will give them a call also.

We have things we are going to take without question but many iffy stuff also depending on costs. We are going to be in a much bigger place when in Hungary than here so we will have room to take most everything we own but we are not rich so cost is an issue.

borschelrh
  11/17/2014 13:23 EST

If you are bringing a car then try if at all possible to get it into the same 40 ft container as your household goods. It will save you in the long run. We didn't do that and it cost us for the mistake. Also, pay very close attention to the car registration fee. It is based on engine/fuel/KW etc. We brought a Prius as gas here is about $8 a gallon. But, as it was a hybrid we paid in 2009 a registration fee of 150,000 HUF. I think any diesel that meets EURO6 specs is also at the same rate. BUt, I can see the prices have come down some since we registered our car. Anyway pay attention as it can be really high for large American engined gasoline fueled cars.Good info here: http://budapest.angloinfo.com/information/money/general-taxes/vehicle-taxes/

MichaelTryn
  11/21/2014 08:33 EST

May I ask, "Why would one move back to Calif.unless you have family there?" My wife would like to move to Napa, but Calif. is ALWAYS RANKED as one of the WORST states to live in, unless one has money like Hollywood people! With a family of 5, "How can you afford that?" We're sick of the Chicago weather.

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Imathome11
  12/1/2014 21:55 EST

California has THE best Climate!! You'll also find cheap Mexican household-help. You can fly to Hungary in 13 hours. What else do you want????? aki a jot nem becsuli a rosszat megerdemli.....

peddington
  12/2/2014 08:33 EST

....and the sales tax is no more than 10%!

Hotjazzman
  12/3/2014 09:12 EST

To Imathome11

Read and LEARN - 'cuz you're ignorant to the max...

Here's a comment of an ex-mil, no HU ties/ancestry/family, settled in HU American:

borschelrh

11/24/2014 13:58

"We moved here from the US 6 years ago and don't speak more than 50 words of Hungarian and really don't need to. Why did we do it? It is a cheap place to live with very good work ethics, wonderful environment, excellent and healthy food and other than the Roma who I only see one day a year, no trouble whatsoever from ethnic peoples. You can read into that what you want but Hungarians have no clue what real life is like in the US.
Did you get it?
"Hungarians have no clue what real life is like in the US." - That includes YOU.
Here's some more in the same posting:
" I feel much safer here in Hungary than in the US and I believe Hungary is one of the safest countries on Earth. But the US has no qualms about abusing its citizens."

In the US a simple encounter with police - like a traffic stop - can result in being killed or maimed for life (by the cops).

You've evidently have NEVER heard of the NDAA act, nor about the "Civil Assets Forfeiture" act, and you're utterly clueless about the "Patriot Act", ditto for "FATCA" - and some other outrages, like the latest on forcible detention for health reasons - including simple flu symptoms. The latter is not an Act, but a Presidential Directive - but enforceable nevertheless. I bet, the name: FEMA Camps mean nothing to you either...

You cannot cure stupid...

Hotjazzman
  12/3/2014 10:10 EST

More To Imathome11:

Healthcare.
Not Obamacare. The simple, financial life and family destroying horrors occurring daily.
Like the Canadian woman giving unexpected, premature birth during a US visit and saddled with a million dollar bill (last month).

Like horror stories of emergency appendectomies where the insurance paid a customary fee to the hospital (out of network) but the NET bill for the patient is from a few hundred $ to 40 thousand.
In case you did not know, illness in the US can make you DESTITUTE, losing your house, car, life savings. Like the guy turned 60, and forcibly retired (company cutbacks) and in spite of Cobra, having to pay a 3000/mo. (yes, that is per MONTH) health insurance - which he just didn't have - simply because of a "preexisting medical condition".
And now with "Obamacare" some people's health insurance DOUBLED from say, $450 to $900/mo. A LOT of people cannot pay that.

Of course, you think you're invincible - nothing can happen to you. In sunny CA - a car accident can make you a homeless, penniless destitute, (in case you don't have a multimillion $ level insurance) and you do not even have to get seriously injured, just have some assets (house, savings, cars).

No, the 'cheap labor' illegals don't get sued or taken to the cleaners; they have nothing in the US to be had, or taken from. They are intelligent enough to take their earnings out, and out of reach.

And of course, you do not have children, otherwise you'd be staying up at nights, how to pay for their college/univerity.

A veterinarian degree is about half a million dollars. Medical degree is even more. A plain 4 years bachelor's is running from the rock-bottom $80K (that assumes 2yrs community college - out of the 4, and 2 yrs, in-state, state - not private - college), all the way to $400,000. These numbers include the living and eating on-campus.
Student loans can be taken, but they NOT dischargeable (like personal bankruptcy) in any shape or form, and they accrue interest as well. The are payable even during retirement (past 67), and monthly payments WILL be taken out of Soc Sec. benefits.

Ignorance is bliss - indeed...

Hotjazzman
  12/3/2014 11:17 EST

Silly me, I SHOULD have started with this in response, as "how terrific CA is".

I LIVED in CA for a year; Santa Monica and Westwood.
The weather is, well, I remember the landslides, when the Pacific Coast highway was blocked with dirt in Santa Monica, and peoples' houses and swimming pools fell off the cliffs in Pacific Palisades and elsewhere.
And the summers with the fires and the Santa Ana winds. The 100+ degree weather for weeks and weeks in the Valley... Rattlers (also in the Valley). And then the house prices. The incredible 1 or 2 AM (Saturday to Sunday night) wall-to- wall traffic with jams on 101 & 405 (San Diego freeway) going home (Santa Monica) from Studio City - from a friend's place we went to at almost every Saturday...
The sheer mass of humanity; our Huntington Beach relatives as far away from us as Budapest - Siofok, and that distance is through all built-up city, with extra-heavy traffic at speed, bumper-to-bumper.

It WAS thoroughly depressing; I hated it.

Was back to CA for visits several times, but never for a moment regretted leaving it.
If I'd have to live there, I'd consider it a punishment.

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borschelrh
  12/3/2014 11:50 EST

I am/was a native Californian and grew up there and went back for my BS and MS degrees while working there and serving 4yrs in the Calif Natl Guard. I lived in Corona, worked in Monrovia, and went to school in Fullerton. This was back 1980-1984. I returned to the Army in 84 and only went back once for my fathers funeral. I hated the commuting and spent 3 to 4 hours commuting daily. House prices are insane and having 27 million people in a single megalopolis is frustrating at best. Living in Corona we were above the smog but down in the valley the dsmog is a serious health hazard. As a pilot I was constantly shocked at having to file IFR flight plans without a cloud in the sky. You couldn't pay me enough money to ever go back there.

Hotjazzman
  12/4/2014 09:22 EST

Look at the fundamental, to the CORE corruption in the US.
A guy (with six children) gets choke hold by policemen (4) for a really minor infraction (selling individual cigarettes), and gets asphyxiated and dies on the sidewalk.

It is on VIDEO (two of them).

They convene a "Grand Jury" to decide if to indict the policemen; choke hold has been illegal for 20 years - btw.

Of course, the so called Grand jury is CORRUPT to the core and in spite of two (2) clear videos that show, plus the autopsy results, they failed to indict the policemen for ANYTHING at all.

Repeat, the policemen choked the victim to death in broad daylight in New York city. He offered no physical resistance, besides verbal arguing.

The corrupt scumbag "Grand Jury" (should be called: "Grand Excrement") did NOT indict the policemen for anything. They are walking FREE. The killer with the chokehold got a desk job.

Unbelievable.

However: THIS is today's America.

Obviously the "Grand Jury" was handed the verdict ahead of time - a la Soviet Union style (Stalin's especially), regardless of clear. indisputable multiple EVIDENCE, which are not even eyewitness testimonies (fallible), but hardcore tangible videos (2) and coroners' reports (also two).

This just happened yesterday - btw., so it's fresh.

And this particular event is just scratching the surface; i.e: broad, public knowledge...
(I know of many, much more hair-rising ones - which are not quite so public, but can be found with some diligent digging).

borschelrh
  12/4/2014 15:17 EST

It is fascinating that a Grand Jury is used at all. It is a quasi legal system without representation and no 5th Amendment rights. Usually, it is used by the prosecutor when there is weak evidence and you want to see if a jury will buy off on the evidence. It saves time and money. But, sometimes it is used as a politically expedient way to prevent prosecution and shifts the blame to the anonymous jurors. District Attorneys are hand in glove with the police and there is a gentleman's agreement to not prosecute police whenever possible as it muddies the system if the police are hostile to the judiciary system. So, like in these 2 cases where the police were obviously guilty of negligent homicide at a minimum and should have been tried. As they haven't actually been acquitted they can still be tried in Federal court and not violate the double jeopardy law although like in the case of Rodney King's police they were convicted of different crimes even after being acquitted merely to appease a very upset minority in a time of a run up to an election. It is often all about politics and not justice.

peddington
  12/4/2014 16:14 EST

Very one sided "Anti American" remark. Likely you should not be allowed to return to the US! But let's look at the facts; yeas a man is dead and he should not be, every life is valuable including Putin's and Orban's. However the reality is that the man was committing an illegal act and violated the law. Second he "resisted". Don't resist the police because you can complain later and then ultimately there are the courts to decide. (I'm sure you think that all judges are corrupt too). The technique used was against department policy as I understand it but I don't believe that is "illegal" in the criminal sense. If you differ please quote the law!

borschelrh
  12/5/2014 02:36 EST

There is no way to defend the chokehold death at all. The Michael Brown death is also cloudy as the policeman didn't know he had committed a crime yet and the kid was running in flip flops hardly a dangerous threat. Looking at the timeline I can't see any reasonable way to excuse the unloading of your weapon into him over a period of several minutes and a distance of 100 ft while he was running away. Then the office's mental status should be in question as he believed the kid was a demon. Both cases are poor ones to choose to defend police abuse and these are just a few of the hundreds happening. It is a constant problem and there is an obvious need to de-escalate the police to non-violent methods but they are going the opposite way by militarizing the forces and increasing the use of SWAT for routine busts or notice serves. Resisting arrest is a very hazy area having been down that route several times and having been beaten severely by police for doing nothing except exercising my right of silence and having long hair. It is now in the US being recommended by the majority defense attorneys to exercise your right of silence in all police interactions. But, in my case that was seen as resistance and met with force. If you are being hurt by someone and you lash out with defensive blocks while someone is beating you then it is being successfully prosecuted as an assault as what happened in the Occupy Protests. Take a close read of the FBI report last week and you will see an awful lot of the police being attacked are very similar and most are not observable of recorded yet the arrested person is successfully prosecuted such as assault with their face breaking the policeman's fist. That is real and happening and it isn't isolated to blacks. Look at the 85 years old Chinese guy beaten nearly to death for jaywalking. How was he a threat?

Hotjazzman
  12/5/2014 21:09 EST

Paddington, I don't know where you get your propaganda BS.

But it's crap, nevertheless. I watched both videos several times.

The victim talks, and argues. And then just all of the sudden, bam, they grabbed him in a choke hold and threw him to the ground. He DID NOTHING. (Emphasis is on DOING - not saying). The police thugs who are USED to obedience, just wouldn't take that someone had the temerity(!) to argue and talk back to no less than the all important THEM.

I guess to you (and your kind) "resistance" means that he did not trow himself on the ground voluntarily, by himself. Talking back is "resisting" to you, huh?


I'm convinced now, that this is your problem in HU. You are used to deferential treatment (and obedience) in the US, b/c you had a gun on your hip.

However, in HU you're a nobody; just another schmuck off the street (with an attitude).

You don't get the deferential treatment - but I'm now sure - you're demanding it with your demeanor with a chip on your shoulder (it's hard to break habits, and American police types seem to have it on a consistent basis - is it a birth defect?)
They, of course, resent it; "who the hell he thinks he is?" So it becomes a tit-for-that, and they mess with you (as they should too).

So far, ALL my official encounters were pleasant, got a lot of help on occasion, but I treat them with smiles, sympathy, kindness, empathy and respect. It's amazing how far they went out of their way to help in a number of instances. On those (unexpected) occasions I specifically thanked them profusely, and told them how much more it was than what I would have gotten or expected in the States in the same office and/or situation. (They beamed with proudness).

I treat them like I would like to be treated, no less.
And it works - splendidly...

westcoa
  12/11/2014 13:58 EST

I'll agree with that after living in Los Angeles for most of my life. I still visit LA often due to my work schedule but I'm always glad to get back to Hungary. Much better quality of life in Hungary especially for families. The world is changing and California dreams are over-rated. Thos dreams come with stress, rediculous crime rates, smog, traffic jams, and big egos.

Lesdit
  12/12/2014 02:57 EST

I find hungary is fun and great to live in but only on a Western salary. If I was making the money of a Hungarian which is probably about $700 a month I think most of you would be singing a slightly different tune. after returning from my 6 week trip I really started to notice the obvious desperation and outright sadness in the adults there.
Seeing this does make me a bit sad but I really think of it as a big theme park that I visit for stretches of time. You have to take the pluses with the minuses and be thankful that you didn't have to try to earn a living there. In many respects it's quite 'busted ass '.

borschelrh
  12/12/2014 04:24 EST

Not to mention all the newer problems such as the worst drought in history and the very real prospect of the big earthquake coming based on the 400 year seismic cycle and very unsettling seismic silence in the region meaning the pressure is building way too much and when it gives it will be a disaster of horrifying levels. Predictions are for a 9.4 level earthquake somewhere in the region. No, I don't want to be there these days at all despite the wonderful weather.

borschelrh
  12/12/2014 04:25 EST

Not to mention all the newer problems such as the worst drought in history and the very real prospect of the big earthquake coming based on the 400 year seismic cycle and very unsettling seismic silence in the region meaning the pressure is building way too much and when it gives it will be a disaster of horrifying levels. Predictions are for a 9.4 level earthquake somewhere in the region. No, I don't want to be there these days at all despite the wonderful weather. I forgot to mention the only way I could negotiate the freeways (which are more or less at a standstill most of the day, was to ride a motorcycle between the lanes. Kind of like Luke Skywalker on the Deathstar. Going 50 miles an hour between stopped lanes . Whew!

Hotjazzman
  12/12/2014 08:35 EST

Your info and number is false.
The data came out during the past two weeks; the median salary in HU is not $700. It is HUF250K (about $1000).
Get your facts RIGHT first, if you post data.

Hungarians were always melancholic, the man of the street facial expression is meaningless, do NOT measure with YOUR cultural standards. Also Hungarians are complainers, another cultural trait.
They are not as poor as you think they are. 90% own their home. (US: 62%).

I posted some numbers before I'll not repeat it again. Just the US cred card debt is at $15.8K/person. FYI: There are no cred cards in HU, only debit cards.

With mortgages, car loans, cred. cards, student loans and personal loans, etc, the average American's debt load is $225,240. (yr. 2013) http://investorplace.com/2013/09/report-average-american-in-debt-hundreds-of-thousands/

I'm sure debt load of Hungarians - adjusted for wage disparity - is still lower than of Americans which brings us to REAL NET worth. Do the math...

Appearances are deceiving.

borschelrh
  12/12/2014 09:12 EST

You are correct about the debt load. Most Americans actually own nothing and about 60% are one paycheck from bankruptcy. I am doubting the 62% number for home ownership as I think the vast majority of them are actually owned by the bank and the homeowner has an infinite mortgage compounded by buying junk with second mortgages taking away any equity they might have had. Also, most Americans retirement is actually in 401k plans which are again owned by the banks and you pay them a fee to use your money. You want to take your money you must pay a huge penalty. Although Hungary just plain took them so I wouldn't want to make that comparison. Also, our Social Security is not an investment or even a standard retirement but rather a ponzi scheme where the current workers are paying for the retirees. But, you make an excellent point. In terms of actual net worth most Americans have a huge negative balance.

Lesdit
  12/14/2014 02:54 EST

Ok, $12K a year. Big difference ;)
And shopping at Tesco,lidel,Aldi is about the same prices as in the US, for the basic stuff you need daily . I agree that the future of living in the USA is looking pretty dim. Hence my buying an apartment in Budapest this last summer. but painting the current life in Hungary all rosy isn't exactly accurate either especially considering the income disparity. its funny how many Hungarians were scratching their head on why on earth I was moving over there when I already have a house in California. You have to do a little explaining to help shed the Hollywood picture that they have in their heads of California! in summary I think it's a personal and private matter on where you prefer to live and it can't be explained on forums and such, let's leave it at that.

guestuser
  12/14/2014 04:30 EST

I was born in California, San Diego to be precise. I grew up there and then lived in various US states and now reside in Florida. My father was in the Navy for years and traveled more than me both in US and abroad.
Now he is on SSD and i have much savings. Neither of us have debt at all and he has steady income. We could move where ever we want with in reason. Most certainly move back to California instead of moving to Hungary next year.

We are planning on moving to Hungary next year 2015 August most likely. California is beautiful as is Colorado where i have lived and Florida where we live now. But California is just beyond unlivable. USA has lost it ability to provide a reasonable living for most of its people. In many regards which i feel have been express here.

My father served honorable in the US Navy for years to help create a better future for both me as his child personally and all people in the USA. As i feel all military are. But to see that the only real way for him to see me have the "dream" that we as people born in America are so promised is not doable hurts him. And to know that the only way for him to get that for his next generation is for me and him to move to a former Communist country is not what he thought would be the case.
I am a healthy debt free law abiding soon to be 35 yo woman with no commitments. I am smart enough to realize that Hungary is a better option than staying in the USA.

I do agree to live in Hungary on Hungary wages would be something difficult although even if people have lower wages they do seem to have things that people in USA only strive for.(healthcare, good healthcare, owning a house not a mortgage, no credit card debt, no student loan debt etc) Hungary seems to take much better care of its people than the world's so called"richest" country.

We are both coming with USA based income(2K take home at least possible more plus cash savings) so i think we will be able to live ok in Hungary. I do plan on buying a house if i am able to do so asap, if not then after a year. I have no plans on ever returning to USA once i leave.

I feel living in Hungary=do able Living in USA=very not do able for many reasons.

Just my two cents

peddington
  12/14/2014 05:04 EST

Well stated!

borschelrh
  12/14/2014 06:48 EST

No doubt about it. In some ways it is apples to oranges. One big difference is taxes. Most people are unaware of the enormous taxes in the US especially when you compare it to Hungary. Flat rate of 16%, no property tax, no death tax but offset by a 27%VAT. We were paying roughly 50% of our income to the various taxes living in Virginia. Some places are worse like NY which has county sales taxes. In Ithaca the sales tax is 15%. So you have to factor that in and it was this specific reason, coupled by the relatively low use of pesticides and complete lack of GMO foods which made Hungary attractive.

Hotjazzman
  12/16/2014 17:39 EST

Lesedit, I don't know where you shop, but I do at Lidl, Auchan and Tesco and sometimes at Aldi, in HU.
It's time for you to look at the the non-sales prices in Giant, Safeway, even any Shoppers Food. Boy, you better be ready for a shock if you think prices are the "same" at both places; HU vs US. A kilo of anything is not a pound of anything. Even two lbs. are less than a kilo (90dkg). So when I see grapes or pears or plums in the supermarket in the US for $2.29/lb, (a "very good price") that works out to $5.10/kilo. Multiply that with 246.
Aha... That's 1255 HUF/kg... Please tell me which Tesco or Aldi has that kind of price in HU.

There are just so many things that you don't see.
Some are cultural, some are political, some are of traditions, and they all affect the living standards and quality of life.

Take for instance, construction techniques. The American wood frame construction is fast and and comparatively cheap. However, with the possible exception of Arizona, wood framing and exterior sheating is a high maintenance and short life span way to build.
There is one Hungarian that I know took the American style frame construction thus:
Steel studs and joists. Poured concrete-on decking over the seel floor joists for the floor.
Interior: 2(!) layers of 8mm (1/2") gyp board - for a total of 1". Fiberglass batt, and foamed-in insulation between the steel studs. Studs 40cm apart (approx 16"). The exterior sheating: Wood? Hell no. 8mm (1/2") cement board. Cement board! Yes - perfect! The boards' edges were butted and caulked/sealed(!) to each other. Fasteners? Untreated NAILS? (they rust, move, even pop). No. Galvanized(!) drywall screws. Then, over the cement board, dryvit exterior system covering/finish. 5cm (2") foamboard+mesh+cement (parging/stucco). Will it rot? No. Will it warp and deform? No. Will termites or carpenter ants eat it? No. Does it insulate well for heat and cold? Extremely so. Does it have a superb sound insulation - compared to std. American wood frame houses? Yes.
Does it cost more? Yes. Does it cost significantly more than a traditional wood frame house? No, because labor is the main cost. This house CAN last 100s of years - easily - with little maintenance. The current US wood frame house with siding - built with non-rot-resistant new (aka: fast) growth wood - CANNOT.
You buy the US wood frame house cheap, but you spend huge amounts of money for upkeep and maintenance. When all is said and done and the maintenance costs are paid for others by the homeowner, rather than him doing it, it WILL cost him significantly more than a "normal" house elsewhere (outside Canada and US).

Other:
For instance, food costs differ b/c of recipes, ingredients and cooking methods. A people who are conditioned that beef is the "best" meat, will incur higher food costs than those, who prefer pork, as pork can be fed on leftovers, but good beef needs corn, and is not as efficient meat producer than pigs are. In Medieval Europe cattle was kept by the peasants not for meat/food, but as work animals - feeding on grass pastures - and for milk/butter/cheese.

And then there is this expensive(!) American cultural trait of "keeping up with the Joneses", goes mainly in the realm of housing, electronics and vehicles.
For example, vehicles: There are 5 passenger (efficient) hatchback cars and there are 5 passenger (inefficient) SUVs - they also are really hatchbacks - btw. But SUVs take more materials to build due to size, needing a larger engine, and as a result cost more to run, as they are not as efficient with fuel (never mind the handling).


So ultimately a significant amount of earnings are wasted not only on poorly conceived products, but on the money's paid interest as well, given to the bankers for those loans to acquire them...

These are just thin sliver examples of complexity to illustrate, and how hard it is to compare in depth.

Hotjazzman
  12/17/2014 02:38 EST

borschelrh,
Good data and points.

Of course, the incentives are significantly different in both systems/countries. In the US, the taxes are skimmed-off at the top, incentivizing material profligate. In HU, the high VAT incetivizes labor and intellectual input over the material. This is not rating the merits of either, but just trying to show, that different incentives will yield different outcomes.

However, if I'd want to rate the merits of each, I'm culturally predisposed to the high labor, low material input version in this day and age of "dwindling resources". With the high labor and intellectual input, you get a better, longer lasting product/service most of the time - as a bonus.

Think of an interesting example: highways. German highways do not crack and break down like Americans do. To start with, the German is twice(!) as thick as the American. The concrete mix is much a thicker consistency with a higher cement content than the thin slurry (both in thickness and in consistency) poured in the US, making the German version waterproof and truck-wheel pounding proof. You say: Aha! More materials! Yes, but they are cheap (crushed stone, concrete/cement and reinforcing). The labor input is the significantly more, with the digging twice as far down, having to load and haul away twice as much dirt, the steel reinforcement prepping, and then the pouring, and then covering it and keeping it wet for curing for I think two weeks, and after curing, removal of the canvas tarps. German highway concrete will never see sunlight until it's cured - by the way - while in the US such a procedure is considered nuts ("the krazy krauts") - adding significant extra labor to the cost. (Oh, my...) The pay-off of course is at the tail end. The old adage still stands: "Pay now a little more, or pay later - a LOT more". BTW: The current falling-apart of US infrastructure clearly shows the disastrous fallacy of this shortsighted thinking - or incentives.

As a bonus, dear readers, I hope now you understand the reasons why German highways are so pristine, and US highways full of potholes.

borschelrh
  12/17/2014 13:02 EST

Well, I only touched on the gross differences. It is even worse as the richer you are the less you pay proportionally due to unequal availability for deductions. That is a morass and impossible to attempt to teach to Europeans or for that matter 99% of Americans. The Autobahns in Germany are all built to serve as alternate airports since Hitler and they still do it the same way. But, it does have an enormous amount of maintenance. I lived in Germany 6 years and the Autobahns were in a constant state of repair/renovation. A few years ago i drove from Bremen to Balaftonfured and I encountered no less than 40 Autobahns work zones. I lost count there were so many. So, this continues through today.

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Living in Hungary GuideLiving in Hungary Guide

Guide to Living in Hungary covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more.

Hungary Forum Hungary Forum
Join our Hungary forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Hungary.

Contribute to Hungary Network Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Hungary.

Best Places to Live in Hungary Best Places to Live in Hungary

If you're thinking about living in Hungary, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Hungary in 2023.

Healthcare in HungaryHealthcare in Hungary

If you're moving to Hungary or an expat living in Hungary, understanding the Hungarian healthcare system in important. This article offers an overview of the national healthcare system, private hospitals and healthcare, private health insurance for expats in Hungary, clinics with English-speaking doctors and the quality and cost of medical care in Hungary.

Cost of Living in HungaryCost of Living in Hungary

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Hungary.

Moving to HungaryMoving to Hungary Guide

Expats share 8 things they which they had known before they made the big move to Hungary - from what to bring to finding a good bank, healthcare to deciding where to live.

Real Estate in HungaryReal Estate in Hungary

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Hungary.

Pros Cons of Living in HungaryPros & Cons of Living in Hungary

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Hungary.

Retiring in HungaryRetiring in Hungary

Advice for people retiring in Hungary.

10 Tips for Living in Hungary10 Tips for Living in Hungary

If you've recently arrived in Hungary, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Hungary.

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Top-quality coverage for people who live, work, study and travel internationally.
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Contribute to Hungary Network Contribute
Help others in Hungary by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Hungary.

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