I think it was a joke.

I guess too much time spent on the internet does that to a person (me).

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Is it? The numbers may be pushed a bit to their respective limits, but with all the talk about cost of living in the Valley, $200k there may poorly approximate a similar quality of living as a sub-$100k salary does in a European city. Something about apples, oranges, and generalization.

They are talking about how the municipal bus network makes up for a roughly 900% difference in two salary figures. It's definitely a joke.

$40k is less than the average salary in Sweden while $350k is probably at least top 5% in the US (even without all the very relevant differences).

Sweden for the most part sucks these days but part of that is the idea that you can lounge through some average free education and then get $350k while leaving early on Fridays.

Yes, some Americans are born wealthy and some have a lot of privilege. Everyone else, at least that I've known, works at it. Often for 15 years. Then they might get $350k, or laid off.

$350k is top 1%, $175k is top 5%