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Comment by xtrumanx | Hacker News Reader

> How can you find talent with that shitty payment?

I live in Somaliland. I make less than 20k USD as a programmer. I was making under 8.8k USD at the same job a few year prior. I am not cheap labor. Well, at least not in the sense of quality.

The cost of living of where I live makes $8.8k/yr a great salary, let alone $20k/yr.

The reason that salaries are so low is probably just simple economics. I'm sure* my company can afford to pay me a salary that would be competitive in places like the U.S. or Europe but since there aren't any other companies hiring they know sub $20k/USD is good enough.

* I know this because the last time I demonstrated that I was capable of getting another job by receiving a job offer, I received an obscene raise. I also know this because I know of folks who earn what would be considered a competitive salary for programmers in the U.S.

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Are you saying there are programmers in Somaliland earning $50-$100k? They must be living like kings!

I don't think you should worry that you are not earning as much as you could be in Europe or the USA. You would be spending a lot more just to survive in those countries and probably not a lot better off financially.

I am interested to know what the income tax rate is in Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland? Do you have sales tax?

> Are you saying there are programmers in Somaliland earning $50-$100k? They must be living like kings!

Yes its possible though most folks here don't flaunt wealth considering the widespread poverty.

I'm not really worried about making more. It would be nice and I certainly look out for opportunities and you're probably right about the cost of living. I literally put half my pay into saving as I have nothing to spend it on.

There's no income tax. Though I do lose a bit of my pay automatically as payroll tax but I'm pretty sure it's been reduced than the amount it was supposed to be, though I could be wrong since I've got a weird contract where a significant portion of my income isn't my salary but from other benefits.

Nobody like paying taxes since no one trusts the government (even if they voted them in) so people always look for way to avoid or reduce the amount they pay in taxes. Mostly that means just simply saying no until they accept a lower amount or finding someone you're barely related to working in government. Big part of the reason why I don't see much of a future for myself here.

There was an campaign for a sales tax. I don't think it was implemented since I didn't notice an increase in prices of stuff due to it.

All of the above was with regards to Somaliland, I don't know about the situation in Somalia and Puntland.

I might be visiting Somaliland soon on business. HN office hours is down, would you mind sending me an email, I would like to ask you some questions about your country :) Thanks!

My email is here: http://pastebin.com/HcHGetBu

Sorry, I didn't mean to say it is not possible to find good programmer with that price, nor programmer at that price is not good. But at Taiwan, with 8.8K USD salary, people cannot even survive in Taipei. A plumber here can make more than that.

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