You don't have to pay 60% taxes to get these.
Exactly. Poor Western Europeans are robbed by their corrupted governments, IMHO. In Ukraine programmers pay only 5% tax, when everyone else - around 40%. So, come to us! : )Regarding the taxes. They are not that discriminating! Because in absolute values other workers may pay to the state even less than programmers. A good programmer may earn up to $3000 every month, so $3000·5% = $150 is what he gives to the state in taxes. An ordinary worker earns (official stat) $350 a month, so he gives only $350·40% = $140. I am not sure about 40% though...
We also have very low prices here too. For instance, potatoes cost only ¢15/kg, so if you are European or American you are welcome to spend your money here : )
But the main reason of their poor life is corrupted government which have been here for many years and which didn't give them opportunity to invest properly (not everyone can be a programmer, I admit). We had several hyper-inflation periods with banks going bankrupt, with too complicated legislation no one seriously followed, unfair privatization of former state property, policemen killing and robbing people, etc.
...€2.32 for 1 kg of potatoes in Norway?! I got a millionaire idea.
Of course, everyone has their own take on whether that's good or bad.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pSFfTG42Jl8