I wish this socialist trope would die. I have never heard of a US programming job that didn't include staff healthcare, plus some dental and eyewear.
Some US companies also include family healthcare, for some there's a fee.
A lot of planning involves “what happens if I lose my job”, or “my current workplace is hell, and between that and taking care of kids I can barely even start looking for another job, and I can’t afford to take a couple of months off because that would mean I need to go on the private insurance market for a few months which would be ridiculously expensive with my special needs kid”.
Even if you’re in an ideal scenario, with a cushy job that provides great employer insurance, it’s not close to being as good as having high quality healthcare irrespective of whether you have a good job, terrible job, or no job.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/09/new-study-fin...
Many European countries have free healthcare, childcare and education on the other hand 1500$ might not cover the rent if you want something in the middle of the city of the expensive countries!
Taxes are widely different too.
Some of my friends lived in US when they where fresh graduates and moved back when they started having families because it was too expensive to get a relatively good education for their children among other things. I doubt all HackerNews kids will end up in MIT so compare the schools of where they are likely to end up. Check happiness levels too just for good measure.
I say this as an European that will move out of Europe to a country that fits me and my family more and that has made us happier (SF and NY at least is not for us, would like to see LA and Texas some day).
The devil, as always, is in the details, and everyone is different.