There are a plethora of factors to consider when deciding where you want to live. Do you live for the hustle and bustle of the big city, or do you prefer the calm of the countryside? Do you need to be able to surf every morning, or do you feel happiest in the mountains? And would you prefer smørrebrød or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
First, you should probably decide what continent you’d like to be on. Redditors have been discussing what it’s like to live in Europe versus the United States, so we’ve gathered some of their thoughts below. Now, we understand that it may seem odd to compare one country to a continent with over 40, but there are plenty of different cultures and climates within the states too. So for the sake of this piece, let’s look past that and dive into these pros and cons of living on either side of the Atlantic Ocean!
#1
Nature is better in USA, cities are better in Europe, groceries are better in Europe, good jobs are better in USA, bad jobs are better in Europe. Healthcare is similar quality but USA much more expensive and random. Americans need more vacations. Europeans need to be more spontaneous.
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#2
US is the land of extremes, where Europe is the middle of the road.
In the US, the rich are richer and the poor are poorer, compared to Europe.
US is ambitious, fast paced and stressful. Europe is safe, reliable and boring.
US is the ever present desire for more. Europe is learning to be content with what you have.
US is the loud uncle that farts at the dinner table, while Europe is the tired aunt that keeps complaining about it.
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#3
I think the day to day living in Europe is so much richer and fulfilling that the day to day living in the USA. In a European city you go out your door and you have the world at your feet (depending of course on the city). The culture, even in small villages, is so important (I am specifically talking about France where I have lived). Museums, music, food, good restaurants, beautiful nature, café culture. The US tends to be much more strip mall and car oriented, go home and watch tv every day for hours on end until the next day and do it all again.
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#4
Still no better place to make money than the US. Endless opportunity if you’re ambitious. That said the new American dream is to make money in the US and retire elsewhere.
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#5
The US gives you some possibilities of higher social mobility and salary potential. But just as easily you can get a $20k bill from the ER if you have an emergency, and the “at will” employment + intense work culture in most jobs can suck the energy out of you.
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#6
The US is a poor society with a few extremely rich individuals. Europe is a rich society but has less wealth overall. I’ve spent time in both and I easily prefer Europe.
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#7
Europe. All the way.
I find it funny that money is such an argument for being in the US.
You want money, go to Switzerland. Same wages without the craziness of US politics and their hyper capitalist nonsense. You’ll have a better work life balance and be able to feel like the world is on your doorstep
Don’t take my word for it, check average wages, gdp per capita etc. Switzerland is richer. And richer in culture, work life balance, mindset everything. The US doesn’t stand a chance.
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#8
Born and lived in the US for 45+ years. After doing a lot of research I moved to Portugal. I’ve been here for a year. So I’m probably still in my “honeymoon phase”. But I feel I can comment without bias.
I’m not going to lump Europe in my response as Europe consists of multiple societies, cultures, languages, etc.
I left the US for many reasons. Primarily I wanted to expand my knowledge to include other cultures, other ways of living that didn’t involve typical US norms.
I also wanted to get away from divisive US politics, especially MAGA nonsense. I wanted to be around people that don’t identify themselves by their political affiliation and judge you on yours.
I wanted a place to live that was safer. Even though I’ve never been shot at, felt directly threatened with violence, etc. The possibility of it exists all the time in the US. That takes a toll. People always have their head on a swivel. Even kids when they’re in school. That’s no way to live. I’m not saying Portugal, or Europe, is some paradise free of violence or crime, etc. But comparatively, it’s far safer than the US.
Healthcare is an interesting topic. The US has top tier healthcare QUALITY. The US has horrendous healthcare AFFORDABILITY. Like much of Europe, Portugal has a public healthcare system. It also has private healthcare for people who can afford it. I opt to pay for private so as not add to an overburdened public system. So in the end I’m paying more for insurance here than I did via my employer in the US. I have found that the quality of healthcare in Portugal is equal to or better than the US.
Affordability. From my perspective it is far better in Portugal. However, I am still employed by a US company with my normal US salary. Which is far more than the average Portuguese salary, by orders of magnitude. So I understand the comparison of affordability is very much lopsided. But when I compare my monthly expenditures with housing, food, utilities, healthcare, etc. I’m not spending anywhere near as much here as I was in the US. I think this would be relatively the same for any other European country I compared with a few exceptions.
Language barriers are no joke, and in my experience is the hardest part of the move. I’m taking a Portuguese language course and it’s hard. Not being able to have a basic conversation with the people I live near is jarring. Being an introvert and not having family or friends to practice with makes it even harder.
I plan on staying in Portugal forever. I see no valid reason to move back to the US. But since the US has better upward financial mobility I can understand why countries, like Portugal, are seeing the younger generations moving out of the country en mass for better opportunities.
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#9
Came to the US 9 years ago from UK. As others have mentioned it’s predominantly about the potential to grow wealth. Salary comparisons for my industry (film and TV) make the UK equivalents seem like a cruel joke. Also – and this is very specific to Southern California, but the climate and beach/mountains lifestyle is incredibly appealing over a rainy UK town. Just a shame the astronomical cost of living here is making even those on good salaries think about leaving the state.
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#10
Both are awesome if you’re rich, but if you’re poor Europe pips the USA.
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#11
I love the social system in Europe if I needed the help, loved knowing it was there if a job fell through and the fact that we’d always have health care, loved the education system through high school. Loved the more family friendly values in Europe and that life outside of work and vacations were important.
Hated Europe that it was unforgiving if you chose to go in on one pathway in college and decided that it wasn’t for you. Europe, well France, is very unforgiving if you decide to choose a different pathway. In America, I can if I want to go back to school and reinvent myself at any age. In Europe entry level jobs are advertised and really only accept applicants in the young 20s. If I reinvented in France, I’d never be hired at 45 for an entry level job.
Hate in America that my health insurance is based on my working. America has the wrong work life balance. We are currently based in the US and laugh at our 25 year old son in Germany who complains that he is tired from working so hard when he has 6 weeks of vacation in his first year of work, works max 40 hours a week and has lots of public holidays ;).
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#12
Europe. I was born in the US. Lived there 24 years. I’ve lived in Europe 29 years and have never been back to the USA. Pretty obvious which one I like best. I think working class people are better off in Europe. And I like it that I can get on a plane for less than $100 (roundtrip) and go to another country on one of my four weeks of holiday per year. I wasn’t able to do that sort of thing when I lived in the US.
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#13
I once had the pleasure of asking this to an older international student from Europe. He said that based on his experiences in the USA, that the EU had, by and large, blown past the USA’s standard of living years ago. His biggest things that he hated were medical expenses, and he was perturbed at the commonality of racism, and the treatment of skilled workers, which he considered abysmal. Where most Americans are lucky to get a few weeks a year here and there, most people can take a month off every year without too much issue. Also, dependning on where you live, car ownership, and all that entails, is much less of a requirement, as the EU has a robust train network, affordable airlines, and good public transport in every city.
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#14
I lived in Southern California between the ages of 6-13, Switzerland from 13-20 and England from 20-23 for university. I’ve been back in LA for the last two months to try and become an adult out here and I’ve just booked my ticket back to Europe for next month. Spent 10 years dreaming of my return to the US but I have a bunch of extended family here so coming back older and realizing how burnt out all of them are from just trying to stay afloat has made things look a lot bleaker.
I realize that I love and longed for the US mainly for all the bells and whistles you truly won’t see anywhere else but it does get old pretty quick (I say this as someone who has spent the last few weeks frolicking around LA living as vapidly as a YouTuber from out of town just to get it out of my system). I much prefer the understated way of life in Europe where things just seem less ‘loud’, from the people to the brands and oversaturated advertising. Seriously, you guys have ads everywhere for everything. Now I see the milk and honey abundance as excess and it just comes across sinister.
But in all seriousness, I ultimately value the quality of life that Switzerland provides me and my family in terms of education, work/life balance, healthcare, on top of the confidence I have in our safety out there which was definitely something I realize I took for granted. I literally just had someone try to unlock my apartment door as I started typing this – I guess thinking it was theirs? I also didn’t fully grasp the luxury of having accessible public transport out there until I spent a month in Illinois where I realized the US really is built around the assumption that you’re driving your monster truck anytime anywhere in and out of the suburbs otherwise you’ll be trekking just to run your errands.
I love the US but I no longer consider it “home” the way I used to and realistically I don’t see myself raising a family out here. Also doesn’t help seeing how exhausted my childhood friends and relatives close in age already are when our lives have barely started.
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#15
I moved to Europe from San Diego, but I’ve also lived all over the US for work a few years ago.
I love Europe way more than the US. Although financially there’s more opportunities in the US. But the way of life here in Europe is so relaxing to me. I’m not worried about much anymore. I walk everywhere now, and learning the language. It definitely helped me mentally and I’m a lot more clear minded. In the US, I was always anxious.
If you want money, go to the US. But expect to pay more for everything.
If you want a life, and if you have a decent job or a side income. I definitely recommend moving to Europe.
I hope you find what you are looking for in life! Life is too short. Follow your heart in choosing where you want to live. Cheers!
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#16
I’m American but live in a western European country since several years. I visit the US once a year.
Both places are varied, and even within each European country it varies a lot, so it’s hard to do direct comparisons. Overall, they each have their advantages and disadvantages based on individual preference.
I echo the sentiment of other posters regarding walkability, which is generally better in western Europe. That said, I’ve lived in different locations in France where public transportation wasn’t as good and I’m from a large metro area in the US where it is actually pretty good. Though the smaller sized cities help with walkability and I like to walk.
For the US I prefer the higher salaries, more varied, professional options, more ease of older adults to go back to school, the ethnic, nationally and cultural diversity, as well as food diversity given the various climates. But I dislike the nonstop toxic political discussions blasted all over the media all of the time, the heavy use of cars in many places (it’s hard to get around due to distances, I know) and many people’s disinterest in what’s happening outside of the continent.
Both places have absolutely gorgeous natural environments.
In western Europe, I enjoy it being easier to travel to other destinations, for example, it has been much easier for me to reach Asian and African countries.
I feel the people much more closed to outsiders in European countries and after years living here, I still don’t have local friends. Also as a person of color, there is a lot of basic ignorance surrounding race and ethnicity and little apparent interest in addressing it. I feel more buffered against the racism because I’m American but the hate I’ve gotten for being American has been frequent.
The quality of healthcare is the same, but healthcare is easier for me to access and navigate here than when I was in the US. When I gave birth, I didn’t get as much time off as some other European countries (ten weeks vs three months for FMLA in the US) but I got a portion of my salary and my spouse got a month off too which wouldn’t have happened for me in the US, so I appreciated that.
I could go on, but I think that’s enough.
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#17
I feel fairly qualified to comment on this – I lived in the US (western NC) for 15 years, have travelled widely there, and now live in Switzerland (another 15 years) and travelled a lot of western and southern. Europe extensively. I am from neither place.
In the same way that Europeans complain that some Americans think Europe is one homogenous mass, I think Europeans do not understand how diverse the US is. Additionally, the diversity in the US can vary significantly within a small area – the town I grew up in had trailer parks where people were very poor, and extremely wealthy gated communities. The lived experiences of people living in these two places is wildly different.
Meanwhile, typically in Europe, poorer people rub shoulders in the same cafes and bars as those who are wealthier. There is more social cohesion.
America has a lot of opportunities if you are smart, ambitious, talented – still more than in Europe, where you often get pushed to stay in your lane. I miss the can-do attitude of the US, although sometimes this translates to a bit of a mess at an operational level. Compare and contrast with the structured German factory where everything is carefully considered before implementation.
There are parts of the US I would pick any day of the week versus parts of Europe, and there are parts I would never want to live in. I visited Houston recently and it was a hot concrete jungle.
Don’t travel/emigrate to the US expecting things will be like at home, you have to embrace it. I was 10 when I moved to the US, and my parents would not stand for any grumbling that “it’s not like this at home”. “When in Rome!” they would say, we have to fit in and embrace new things.
America is much more a land of extremes than Europe – they have both the fattest and thinnest, the poorest and the richest, some places are super busy and some are creakingly slow. The pace of life can be at a snails pace in some parts of the US – immigrants typically do not see this side.
The natural world was also stunning in the part of the US I grew up in.
Moving for money is not the key to happiness. Move to open your mind.
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#18
Grew up in a small town in Europe where everyone knew each other. Wat hing movies, … I was in awe of the states! So I decided to go live in California. 1 year in… I never want to leave – always sunny. Beaches, Fun live, everything is picture perfect! … 2 year mark – I start seeing some flaws, but still would never leave. I was in Silicon Valley and SoCal. Well in a few years of time everything has changed.
1. Work – life balance – there’s none, unless you’re working for corporate or have your own business. You’re always on, need to be reachable!
2. Everything is picture perfect… a tree that makes the pavement go up… well the tree has to go… (mind blown)
3. Homeless problems everywhere! Irvine doesn’t even have sidewalks, because they don’t want homeless there. Lots of people decide to go homeless by choice and overtake really nice neighborhoods and make them unsafe.
4. Rent is through the roof… if you want to live somewhere safe … but then the homeless came to take over
5. Lot of friendly people, but I only found a few I could actually have deep conversations with.
6. Lots of people don’t get sarcasm… well as a European…
7. The weather is nice!!! This was one of the things I miss the most
8. Earthquakes! Scared the [hell] out of me a few times.
9. Food… it’s all processed. They don’t have the European standards. Even if you eat healthy you’ll gain weight. (Came back off when I came back to Europe)
10. Healthcare [is bad]! It’s all about how they can make more money out of the person and don’t really care about the person itself. I would have had life altering surgery if I would have listened to the doctors over there. This was also the final drop in my bucket.
11. The Grand Canyon, sequoia park, … are just amazing! Still in awe.
I can sum up other things. I think the problem is that I saw the US as the best thing before I went, because of the movies growing up. It has its ups and downs like any other place. I’ve lived there for about 8 years and I’m really happy and more appreciative of where I live now, which is back in my home town. I love that everything is much greener where I live, life is a slower pace, things are so much closer, to have a butcher, bakery, … to see cows, healthcare is so much better, life work balance is much better – all about family first and education is a lot better!!!
Would I go back to visit? – in a heartbeat! Would I want to move for a few months – yes! Only short term tho.
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#19
If you are extremely ambitious, the US will give you a lot more opportunities to realize your goals. However, for the majority of people that aren’t overachievers, (most of) Europe will give you a better quality of life.
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#20
As a person who has lived and worked at both(different parts of Spain and US). It’s a chicken and the egg thing with both having pros and cons. And of course all depends on the job etc. so this is just my personal experience and so I can’t generalize.
But basically, quality of life in the day to day is better in Europe(including freedom of speech which is ironic). Its not as “comfortable” as in the US because the architecture is older so it has its growing pains, but it’s overall better. But the pay [is bad] and there is very little opportunity for growth in the workplace. Sounds like a nice sacrifice in theory but when you see your salary not increase for years and everything else does your going to be sweating bullets. Happens in the US too but a bit less frequent. And the healthcare while free has its serious issues as well.
Now in the US the pay is better, less tax issues but the quality of life is so much worse. Less vacation time, less parental leave, the food is worse etc. lack of proper transportation. But the small commodities like having better insulated homes, less pay in electricity, parking…..just the little things you take for granted you miss from the US when you live in Europe. However the pay, and the room for career growth, bonuses etc is way better. The healthcare is equally bad here in the US because of financial hardship. But if you got a great job with great pay and your well off, US will give you a great quality of life. There is a bigger “jump” in quality than you will ever see in any other country.
Long story short, if my finances were low, here vs the US, I rather work and live in Europe. If I make good money and all the insurance stuff is covered, personally I prefer the US better even with all the drawbacks.
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#21
No way in hell would I go back to the US.
Too many guns, not enough healthcare. I currently have 32 days holiday, a 34 hr work week, and I NEVER worry a disgruntled co worker is going to [end] us all.
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#22
I am an American living in Europe so probably the issues I have here are not so relevant for EU citizens. But if it weren’t for the nightmarish bureaucracy (I’ve lived in Germany and Italy), I would hands-down chose Europe. The work culture is better (vacation days), the cost of living is better, and the security is better. By that I mean you never have to be afraid of being one car crash away from crippling medical debt, and no student debt either. In Italy the health care is not as good but in Germany I had several procedures done with no cost out of pocket to me and I regularly saw specialists. But it’s insanely hard to find a place to live here and I’m so sick of visa and residency permit applications that I might move back home.
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#23
All the different languages and cultures are just energizing to me. It gets my brain working in so many amazing ways. I grew up in a European household with a French mom, so I feel at home when I’m in Europe. The US feels so tense and angry to me. I wish it were less so.
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#24
If you’re wealthy or well off, it is easier to accumulate additional wealth.
We love living in NL but good god does the government penalize high earners that aren’t utilizing accountants in order to find the loopholes that exist for those with old money.
In NL it is clear that there is a population with old money, they live in places that were handed down / have been in the family, there are trusts, etc. East coast US has something similar. This is especially in places in smaller established towns. Beyond that there is much larger “new money” or “pleebs” (aka ‘peasant’) population. The pleebs account for 80%-85% of the country, the new money types 5-10% and the rest is old money.
The end result is if you’re wealthy in NL, you’ll stay wealthy. Becoming wealthy is an investment and journey in itself and it is a lot harder and a lot more punishing than NL.
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#25
USA: Better salaries, better social life (I love how kind and open Americans are, in my experience anyway), better opportunities, better healthcare (covered by my employer and it’s incredible). I also think the university system is way better here and top 20 universities in the US are better than any university I could go to in the UK minus Oxbridge. I’ve lived in the US, UK, EU, Asia and Middle East, and I love the US the most and believe that people take it for granted. It’s beautiful.
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#26
Europe, or Germany to be precise. I lived in NYC years ago. I love the US and travel there frequently (business and leisure), but living in Germany feels safer or rather more “relaxed” due to health care, low cost of education (once we are having kids), employee rights, etc. That being said, when I’m old, I’d like to buy a lil house in Florida to spend the winter. :).
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#27
US citizen who has lived overseas. I’ll say US by a small margin.
I loved living in Europe. It was easy to get around, there were hundreds of fun things to do within a reasonable distance, and it was clean and safe and overall a higher quality of living. If the opportunity presented itself to go again for a few years, I’d do it.
The US has more space. Europe can get claustrophobic after a while, everything is smaller and there’s no space to expand. The reason the US wins, though, is citizenship. When you’re a visitor in a country, you always have to worry about your visa, the rules of the visa, when it expires, when/how you have to renew, etc. And the corollary, which is that it’s harder to rent an apartment, buy a car, get a driver’s license, etc. because there are different rules for resident aliens. And knowing those rules and getting help from the government means knowing enough of the local language or finding someone to help interpret, which makes a bureaucratic experience even more of a headache.
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#28
There are so many answers to this question. It depends on the person. It depends on the country in Europe. It depends on the state in the US. There are so many factors. The best I can do is try to give you the answer for my personal situation, having lived in both.
I prefer life in the US. I live in Florida, which is warm and tropical and flat; quite a contrast to where I grew up in the mountains of Norway. My asthma is happier here. I make friends easier. It’s cheaper and easier to have a car, and to use a car. And I happen to like car culture, so that works for me. I can get to a beautiful beach in half an hour. Or to a lake in 45 minutes. Tourist destinations like Key West, Kennedy Space Center or Daytona Beach are a day trip away. I have palm trees in my front yard. I can ride motorcycles year round. I got to literally volunteer with tigers. There’s a lot to like, and there are opportunities here I would never get in Norway. I’m not just talking financial opportunities, I’m talking about experiences.
But it’s not quite paradise. The political vitriol get old. There are more literally crazy people here than in Norway. I worry about gun violence. (I live less than an hour from Parkland.) And we do get Florida Man. That Wendy’s where someone threw an alligator through the drive-thru window? That was my local Wendy’s. Methany and Methew abound, and they’re out there in traffic with me. I have literally avoided going to the emergency room when I needed to because I had no idea what it was going to cost me, and when I called my insurance company to ask, they couldn’t tell me. That’s ridiculous. My work-life balance at times feels more like a work-work balance, although my employer is more generous than most with vacation time and the like. And I’m sick and tired of Americans confusing Norway with the Netherlands, Sweden with Switzerland, or thinking everyone in Europe drives on the left just because the Brits do.
But on the balance, I do like it here. On the balance, I like Norway too. I might retire there. I feel very privileged to be able to pick and choose from objectively nice options.
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#29
For me, this is so easy a choice it’s not even a contest. US any day of the week and twice on Sundays. I think Europe is lovely, but I would never even remotely entertain even thinking about living in Europe.
Life in the US is simply easier. I make double the money, pay half the taxes, have a big house that’s younger than me with modern amenities and lots of space for myself, my cat and guests, lots of space to park my car, lots more disposable/discretionary income to spend/save/invest as I see fit. Most importantly, the US affords you a lot more opportunities to become an owner of capital than Europe does, which very important to me, since we all live in a capitalist economy.
Yes, Europe is pretty. But what good is Paris if your slice of it consists of a 120 square foot apartment in a 6 floor walkup where you’re not allowed to install A/C because it would make the building look less pretty? What good is Michelin star rated chefs if I make 45 cents on the dollar and I can barely make rent after taxes take half your meager paycheck? What good is 40 days of PTO if, again, you can’t even afford a night out on the town let alone a vacation? What good is a pension if your retirement age keeps getting pushed back because the bureaucrats who promised you a retirement keep mismanaging your money? A lot of buildings in Europe are decrepit. Italy was the only country where I smelled sewage in the bathroom of a 5 star hotel, and not for lack of cleaning (the hotel room itself was immaculate).
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#30
I would like to comment on one aspect of life in Europe vs the USA.
I’m a person of color who migrated to the US and been living in it for over 15 years. I’m an engineer in a niche highly skilled industry. Prior to that, I traveled to Europe on numerous occasions, often staying there for weeks at a time.
I’ve heard racist remarks in the USA maybe once or twice in 15 years. In Europe, my ethnic background was always a discussion point, I got yelled at by random people in the street to “go back to your country” and asked “where were you when Germany Invaded England”. A German girl told me “I can’t believe they still let your type into the country”! A group of friends in Spain told me that I’m not a typical middle eastern because my types blow up trains and kills people… and the list goes on and on and on…
So, if you’re not white, I urge you to consider this aspect of life before you make a decision.
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#31
My experience living in Europe was almost 10 years ago now (when I had to head back to the US). I deeply wish I could’ve stayed but it wasn’t in the cards. I mainly lived in Norway but had a shorter work stint in France (not Paris) and another short stint at a language program/just living in Poland (learned Polish growing up but lost it).
Someone said it better than me here already: the US exists in extremes, Europe even at its extremes is very middle of the road.
I know my experience was so long ago so things are probably different, but in each country there really wasn’t a wide inequality gap like you have in the US that seeps into all of life. In the US if you’re wealthy and well connected, the world is at your feet, if you’re only one of those two things or neither? you’re left to die and it’s a race to the bottom.
I see many Europeans claiming their experience with US healthcare as foreigners paying full price in cash (and who might as well have floating $ signs over their heads to any hospitalist) assuming naively that it’s the same for Americans. It’s not. Far from it. We’re bled dry for insurance that covers almost nothing these days, then tries to double bill you or send you to collections/sue you for not paying double when you already paid, and then you’re still waiting 6mos to a year for ANY doctor even if you’re already established. Health being money-first and what treatments or tests doctors are even allowed to mention getting decided on by insurance companies affects all of healthcare. Even if you have the money and support independently this structure affects all of us because we live here and are then flooded with the problems caused by this (most obvious one is our major homelessness crises; it’s not a uniform cause issue but many end up homeless from medical bills or lack of real, fruitful care and are just left to die).
The same applies for schools and education quality (or lack thereof in many places/the No Child Left Behind Act really doing damage across the board). Yeah you might go to a nicer public school or charter or private school…but you’re living in a world surrounded by a lot of people just pushed through without learning at the same level. People think of stuff like this in Europe from a stance of everyone having a average but decent education and more or less being on the same page….things fall apart at the seams when large swathes of the population are functionally illiterate and intelligence is routinely devalued. Being intelligent or educated doesn’t mean you’ve escaped the effects. Plenty of dummies in Europe too, but again…extremes.
Everywhere in Europe being more walkable/functional transit and people-centric instead of car-centric affects a lot of life for the better. You just see more people out and about even in smaller places. Where I lived you still often needed a car, but you *could* get away without one. Made the town as a whole just livlier, less isolated feeling, I feel so old saying this but….you could see teenagers and kids walking or biking around and living life (also has to do with lack of 3rd spaces in the US for them).
**Those safety nets, even for those of us that don’t need them, really enact a sense of calm…people are less agressive and volatile when I live in Europe.** So was I, in part because I felt the worst that could happen to me was I get deported – even if I somehow ended up in prison…prison life would be better than regular life in the US.
Yes it’s harder to make more in Europe, but more likely than not if you’re employed you’re not homeless (or quickly dead because medical care is tied to your employment) and you can survive. In the US you work the same job and you can’t afford anything and still have to pay personally in many cases for your own (expensive) healthcare, and your only vacation is if you’re unemployed (in practice). Not a lot of risk = not a lot of reward, but understand that high reward likely means the norm to achieve that his extremely high risk.
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#32
I live in Norway and from what I have seen of the conditions in USA it appears that life is rough there unless one is apart of the rich elite. Everyone else appear to have significantly lower living standards then us Norwegians.
There’s been debates amongst Norwegian think tanks and politicians if usa still qualify as a first world country. crime is rampant, police force breaking down, people in the streets, people not affording to buy homes etc..
also usa has very low economic mobility according to statistics, whereas Norway and Denmark have the highest economic mobility in the world.
which means it’s a lot easier in Norway to become rich then in usa. for equal work hours in Norway vs usa you’d make alot more money in Norway.
so the american dream is [over] whilst the Norwegian dream is a reality.
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#33
U.S.
1. expensive healthcare (but good if you can afford it)
2. food quality low (even though the food can be tasty). You’ll get fatter for sure
3. aggressive work environment/culture (takes some getting used to)
4. barely any time for personal stuff (2 weeks vacation is standard)
5. make sure you save money while working because you can be out of a job in the blink of an eye
6. Great outdoor activities
7. Friendships are usually shallow
8. Get used to dealing with uneducated people with strange views and opinions
9. Friendly people (strangers will talk to you and strike up a conversation)
10. Turn off the TV (unless you want your IQ to drop)
11. Lots of idiots in traffic (tail gating)
12. Usually lots of work opportunities and usually easy to make money (Americans love to spend money on [stuff] they don’t need)
13. Big homes but poorly built (walls). This has, sadly enough, also become a trend in Europe where builders cut corners to save money
If you don’t have any dependants then I’d say go for it. Don’t get married there. You’ll get skinned alive when your U.S. spouse divorces you. If you do get married make sure you get a really good lawyer to draw up an airtight prenup so that you don’t get [trapped] over for life.
PS: if you get citizenship you’ll get taxed by IRS regardless of where you live in the world.
Life in Europe is much slower and boring. Compared to the U.S. there isn’t much to do after work besides mowing the lawn and doing other boring [stuff]. In Europe there’s a greater appreciation and respect for family life whereas in the U.S. your work is basically your identity.
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#34
I moved from the US to the Netherlands. At first I felt good about the decision but later on it can be depressing and Europe can be so inconvenient. The job market in the US is definitely better and a lot of these places have a housing crisis. Living here is safer and less car dependent but it also has its down sides.
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#35
People who earn a lot of money can potentially earn A LOT more money in the US.
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#36
USA: Career progression and higher salaries. The opportunity to build greater wealth.
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#37
While I am for a former eastern bloc country, I did live in western Europe as well so I feel like I can answer this. The culture here is very easy to integrate in. And while there may be tons of crazy people that you see in the media, the majority of people are welcoming (you’d think I’d be the antichrist but they really don’t care if I’m a legal immigrant, while France and Spain really did looks sideways at me as a legal immigrant but from Romania). And people make fun of the “lack of culture”, but where I live is a melange of cultures from all around the world. Part of my friend group I have people from: Bulgaria, Russia, Canada, India, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Serbia and many more.
I also like the outdoors and nothing beats the fresh morning air in Florida, I was tired of built up cities where you could not even open your car window at the lights or else you die from the diesel fumes. It’s still crazy for me to see plants that my mom would have in a pot on the window sill in Romania grow here in the ground to be 10x the size.
But one of the main reasons making me want to drop western Europe was the feeling of settling. I knew I could do better, I knew there was more I could do if I moved to the US and it turned out to be right. Not everybody will have that drive and I am not saying it’s preferred or even good for you, but if you have it, you will understand a lot of the US culture. The real one, that built the country, not the [nonsense] that’s in the media.
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#38
I think culture is easier to integrate and way more diverse than Europe, plus high salaries and more choices of climates. You literally cannot find a place in Europe with good job market and warm weather.
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#39
I think the issue with how people talk about living in the US is that it is not homogeneous, while it is often spoken of as such. Just as all of Europe is not France, all of the US is not Texas.
Having lived in the US, I loved living in the major east coast cities. Meanwhile, I would find living in Orlando, Florida hard work.
It’s such a diverse country.
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#40
I’m British but used to live in Munich, Germany. I had very well paid jobs in both countries. I’ve travelled all over the world. However, from the moment I stepped foot in the US (first as a tourist) I fell in love. I’m now living in SoCal and I just love the lifestyle. I love the weather, the beaches, the way of life. Also, being British over here is pretty cool, you generally always get a great reaction to your accent.
I had plenty of opportunities elsewhere but I also know I will here. The US is at the epicenter of western culture, I love what the country stands for. No place is perfect, the US certainly not, but the positives far outweigh any negatives.
Image source: SDunited
#41
Nobody said it, I think one important aspect it’s friendliness, open mind culture in America and an unlimited things to do and see if you have the money of course.
Rich western European countries are socially inept compared to America, people are cold and unapproachable and America it’s the opposite.
And America it really feels like a dream, never get bored, lots of indie culture, epic nature, national parks, amazing road drives ex. Pacific Coast, awesome states and cities like California, NY, LA, SF, or small towns…
Image source: anon, freepik (not the actual photo)
#42
I find Germany so boring… yeah, you can travel and have tons of vacations. But your day-to-day life is dull, I can’t tell for other European countries.
The USA has a more rollercoaster approach to life; there are many ups and some downs, but you are always looking forward to the ride.
Image source: Zealousideal_Ad9966, EyeEm /freepik (not the actual photo)
#43
The opportunity to have a million dollar net worth by age 35-40. A realistic possibility in the U.S. Almost impossible in the Europe unless you come from money.
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#44
On a big level, prices in US are lower without VAT and the inflation % is very low by comparison. Unemployment is extremely low in U.S. and it’s easier to find housing, rent out your home, and easier to find servicemen to fix things. On a small level, I have more (and cheaper) water, electricity, and gasoline. That means I can have air conditioning, a clothes dryer, and more. Simply put, I’m more comfortable in U.S. Final reason, I can drive to 5 different grocery stores in 5-10 min away, and the stores offer SO much variety because they have more shelf space. It’s a beautiful place to see a grocery store in the U.S. lol 😂.
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#45
I have dual uk/us citizenship, i prefer europe. Outside of east europe, it’s more free/ less corrupt and less violent than america.
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#46
French+American I love both, Europe is maybe more interesting for mid life 30+, US is a great place to be young and free ( if you have $).
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#47
Europe.
Better healthcare, better food, cheaper education, better safety laws.
College is free in some countries.
Image source: anon
#48
If you are ambitious, go to the US. But to fully understand the US as a European, be prepared for a huge cultural shock. It is so deep that it will make you question every assumption you have about the meaning of life. It is *that* philosophical.
I find a lot of Europeans try (and fail) to see the US through their own lens, without understanding that the US is a completely different country, with a different history, different culture, different demographics and different politics. There are many European countries that are different enough from each other. That’s why a European tends to think that France vs US is probably just like France vs Germany. But it isn’t. It’s more like France vs Japan.
People have vastly different expectations in life, and by that I mean education, work, money, you name it. America is built by immigrants. And that mentality lives on.
The US is much richer than Europe. 15 years ago the US and Europe were pretty much on par, but the US has pulled ahead. Anyone who is trying to debate this is delusional. You can argue Europe offers a better “work life balance” but the price is that it comes with a European salary which condemns you to the social class in which you were born.
Social mobility from poverty to lower middle class is better in Europe, no doubt. But social mobility from middle class to upper middle class is much higher in the US, and is non-existent in Europe. People in Europe think €100k/yr is such a large sum of money, whereas there are so many 25 yos making that kind of money in NYC/SF that it isn’t even something to brag about.
People also talk about “quality of life” but what the hell does it even mean. You have 35 hour work weeks in Europe but in return you are over-reliant on various public services run by the government (education, healthcare, pension) that are in perpetual decline. And there is no way to escape it because there are no better jobs out there due to a punishing tax system designed to stifle innovation and risk-taking. What are you going to leave behind to your children and grandchildren? Scapegoating “the rich” who are the ones that are funding this unsustainable lifestyle, or immigrants and refugees?
The US is for you if you don’t mind working hard and being always on your toes. In return you get the chance to make a lot of money which buys you a lot of material comforts and ultimately freedom. It is true that people in the US are anxious all the time. Even my millionaire bosses are. You’ll have to accept that that’s just life and life isn’t meant to be easy. If you want a 9-5 job, an average house, a Renault and once a year in Mallorca, then Europe is for you. But you’ll never be able to afford to really travel. And it will come with the European anxiety of witnessing the decline of the welfare state, knowing that your children will not live a life that your parents did, and there seems to be no way out of this downward spiral.
Relatedly, all the Europeans debating on Reddit seem to not understand the rise of China. Hell, even the US is fretting over being outcompeted by China. How is an aging continent with an unsustainable expectation on social spending, who see hard work as a cultural sacrilege going to compete in the 21st century?
Image source: anon
#49
If you have a good job, it’s pretty nice. Better than most European countries. But if you are an average employee working for an average company, the USA will be hell for you. Don’t go there unless you are well off economically; the government does not have your back.
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#50
I am a mid 40s gay married guy from US who receives veteran benefits for disability related to service.
I have lived in Germany (Berlin and Bavaria) for 6 years and now live in Poland where we are much happier.
I’ve seen the constant criticism of the US by Europeans and the US false assumptions the Europeans are taking advantage of US military protection while sipping espresso on their cobbled terrace of their vineyards.
Ridiculous.
The USA is massive. 10x the population of many countries in Europe. This is 10x +/- 24/7 media blaring every issue on a global stage for reader/viewership. Good news doesn’t sell, so the rest of the world sees us as fat Ronald McDonalds running around shooting schools and bombing brown skinned people in deserts.
Likewise, there is a lack of understanding by many in the US that Europe is not one country and they don’t all get along.
Additionally, the historical roots of native Europeans go much further back than the Mayflower landing to escape religious tyranny in Europe so we could burn witches and give Native Americans measles to create Thanksgiving.
I have learned in my time government hardly ever represents the people they are elected or appointed to serve.
As a gay person in Poland with legal residency, I can tell you it’s not the Soviet/communist memes of drunks, racists, and deplorable living conditions often portrayed.
Are there places or people who fit this stereotype? Of course. As much as there are overweight, geographically ignorant, gun-toting “Karens” screaming racist obscenities at the drive thru of McDonald’s somewhere in the USA.
My values and needs for quality of life expectations have changed through the years. For now, I am happy with being able to pay privately for medical services, avoid needing a car, gas, insurance. I miss family, some material things, and not having to struggle with languages.
No place is a utopia for me and if it was, I’d go insane not having something to complain about.
You’ll find your footing and it may not be you’re home forever. That’s okay. It will provide you so much value in experiences for the next journey.
Best regards!
Image source: Tricky_Hamster_285
#51
I’ve been American my whole life. I live in NYC as of a few years ago. There are millions of immigrants who come here (to America) and build a life they love but no one ever tells people that hypercapitalism makes living in America exhausting a lot of the time. For immigrants it’s even harder. It’s in the air. It’s everywhere you turn. You just never have enough.
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#52
You’ll get a bunch of different answers because it depends on where in Europe and where in the US and what your job and life circumstances are. I lived in Germany and greatly disliked it. I felt more at home in UK, but I couldn’t handle the weather, the food, and the small wages. Moved to Georgia, USA and did not like it, even though my job there was paying me almost triple than in the UK. Now living in New York City and I absolutely love it. So, it depends on the lifestyle you want.
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#53
Quality of life is much higher in EU, esp in denmark/netherlands etc, but financially more opportunities to get filthy rich in the states.
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#54
All i read here going for the USA is money, money, money. one way or another is always money.
Lived in the US for 20 years and moved to Spain 1 .5 years ago. Here I make 30% less than in the the US but I spend 60% less, you do the math… Here why I moved to Europe:
After 20 years and 2 months, I left the US.
I am a US citizen as well as my family and even though we started from a very humble beginning, with minimum wage jobs and with many limitations, steadily and with a lot of hard work I climbed the ladder and ended up enjoying good jobs with good salaries as well. My wife did the same, she earned her second degree and her masters and became a teacher so between the 2 of us we could sustain our family comfortably (not with luxury).
We have 3 kids, all American and even as we were all fully integrated into the US society and system, we felt as something was wrong. Life seemed somewhat empty and lacking in many basic things while we were in the race for the american dream. You see, in the US all is measured in dollars, especially success. Not in happiness or in your contribution to society or to your family, but in terms of where you live, how big is your house, what cars you have and how much cash you have in your account.
For this reason, people bend over backwards and do all kinds of things to project the image of success; the pretty house with the white fence, the 2 cars and the vacations to wherever people think to be exclusive at the moment. Primarily they do this by amassing huge amounts of debt. So while it all looks beautiful with the perfectly manicured lawns and the kids going off to expensive colleges, it’s all sustained by this enormous debt, credit cards, student loans, etc. So in the end it’s really a facade. You end up living your entire life in this endless cycle; with no real happiness and not knowing how to break out of it.
In addition to the questionable lifestyle described above, there are other factors that made me question if I was in the right place, especially for my children. Here my top 10 reasons for leaving the country:
1) As mentioned by many others in this forum; the misery of its healthcare system. That’s the right word, misery. Because in general it puts its people through the misery of debt and bankruptcy for accessing basic medical services, in a country capable of putting robots in Mars and having military bases across the world, but that it cannot provide the basic, humanitary health care to its people.
2) Social inequality: you have to see it to believe it. The differences between the haves and have not´s is incredible. While 5% of the people have it all, 95% barely go by. And there is nothing like poverty in a developed country, its an ugly kind of misery that is hard to justify.
3) Political toxicity: specially coming from the ultra-far right (also known as republican party); it’s a neo-nationalist, god-preaching, gun-loving, anti-immigration, anti-equality, pro-rich, fear mongering group of people that make up for the majority of the country now.
4) Trump and his followers: yes, he was also a factor in my decision.
5) Education system: it ranks very low in terms of the priorities of the American society. Now that I live in Spain, we must deal with the fact that our kids our are below the expected level for their grades because the education system is so bad in the US. Its all math and American history, nothing existed before.
6) Violence-Crime: whether it’s the absurd gun violence or that in the political environment, TV, songs or the overall hostility and aggressiveness of the people against each other. People are very angry and aggressive and there is no real sense of community.
7) Hyper individuality: Its all about me, second me, and last me. Because of that there is no contribution to the ¨Us¨. Forget about big investments like public transportation, big infrastructure, general medical insurance, etc.
8) Widespread Ignorance: In general, Americans are very inwards and self-centered. They cannot conceive that there is a world out there and that it might actually be better than the US.
9) Cost of living: its exorbitant. When you cover your basics you end up with very little for savings or enjoying life. As I got older and due to the fact that I never had enough for savings towards retirement, it seemed less and less plausible.
10) Crumbling infrastructure: Everything from streets to highways, trains, airports, etc. is decaying with no investment for ages. Again, no sense in investing in ¨Us¨.
I am thankful for everything the US did for me, but I´m not looking back, is not the same place I arrived at over 22 years ago, It is in serious decline.
Image source: Mediocre-Spring-3629
#55
I do agree with most of the posts made on here, though I would avoid stereotyping too much (which for some reason is still common on Reddit despite it being a generally “progressive” forum).
Having lived in both North America and Western Europe, I don’t think I can give a fully satisfying answer except for “it depends”… From my experience, the US and Canada are better for individuals that want to “make it big” (i.e. by founding their own business etc) than Western Europe, while Western Europe tends to be better for salaried workers, especially for those who are in the lower and lower middle class. But I guess this depends on the individual field of work etc. Generally speaking, worker protections tend to be better in Western Europe than in the US and Canada, and there’s more PTO.
On the other hand, in North America one can achieve a higher material standard of living at the same income level as in Western Europe. For example, the vast majority of houses in the US have AC, whereas this is rare in Western Europe, and living space per capita in the US and Canada is a lot higher than in Western Europe.
But of course material possessions aren’t necessarily the most important thing in life (depends on the individual of course), and in terms of “intangible goods” that determine quality of life (such as public transport, healthcare accessibility, and work-life balance), Western Europe offers a higher standard than the US and Canada.
As an European myself, the thing that I am most concerned about regarding Europe as a whole is the insecure geopolitical, demographic and economic situation compared to the US. While it’s great to have an extensive welfare state and other perks that are available in Western Europe more than anywhere else, I am not sure how sustainable this is considering that the fact that military spending will have to rise in most Western European countries, and that the current set-up of the pension and healthcare systems are based on having enough productive worker to pay for them so that those that don’t work have enough money to live comfortably. I don’t want to be a “doomer”, but I feel that the current high quality of life in most Western European countries isn’t really sustainable as it is based on an economic system that is no longer functioning as it did for most of the last 70 years or so (since WW2).
So, while I agree that most Western European countries tend to offer a better quality of life for the “average person” than the US, the advantages of the US compared to the EU (i.e. having a unified market and culture, along with a safe geopolitical situation, and high energy security combined with abundant and relatively inexpensive energy compared to most other Western countries) means that the US has a better future outlook than most Western European countries (and the EU as a whole), despite the current problems of the US society. I know that this is an unpopular position on Reddit overall, and on this Subreddit specifically where the “whole picture” (i.e. geopolitcs or energy availability) does not tend to factor into the analysis of most “US vs Europe” discussions, and so these discussions become kind of tedious as the same talking points are usually repeated, and because the US tends to be seen negatively on Reddit… But I just wanted to show a different perspective that is less about the individual POV, but more about what I see as the “driving factors” that determine an economic region’s success…
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#56
I considered the USA to try to move and now I would say, main no is healthcare (even though I ended up moving to a partially private healthcare country), second is employees rights such as anual leave, maternity leave, etc. and third is as a European is easier not having to deal with visas etc.
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#57
Lived in US for 20 years, now in Spain for 2 years. US life us money, money, money. Europe is vacations, cafes and enjoiment. You tell me……
Image source: Mediocre-Spring-3629
#58
Europe is way better than the US and North America overall (healthcare, public transit, culture, mentality, you name it).
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#59
Europe’s transportation is better in the sense that you can be anywhere within hours taking the TGV (Train Grande Vitesse) compared to America (including Canada). Population is too dense in Europe as compared to USA, and 10,000x less in Canada. Cities in Europe are for the people whom like history, museums, monuments, and the general architecture which contrasts with American architecture as a whole. Yet, the Nature lovers have equal parts; both Europe & America have very nice tourist attractions and hiking trails. What is the basic issue is Politics, Sectarianism (so many religions, sects, weird rituals, …), and down right condescending people; both have these particularities: USA formed from Freemasonry, and Freemasonry being the elite of Europe. Living in Europe is costly if you’re not a gardener or handy worker, living in USA is costly if you don’t have the right health insurance, and is way cheaper in Canada yet there are other problems there: SNOW ❄️… too much snow ⛄️! You have to treat your stay as a vacation… if not, you’ll hate yourself. My opinion, and I’ve travelled a whole lot, but I think it’s really important to travel where you feel it could reward you. West Coast USA has its perks, so does East Coast, same for Canada, and it’s a whole different ball game in Europe due to the so many countries involved. Polarity is the main difference. If you love heat, the Southern portion of USA is where you want to stay, if you like Cooler climate, go up North closer to the Great White North (Canada 🇨🇦). Travelled everywhere in Canada 🇨🇦& USA 🇺🇸; taxes are to be considered as they differ greatly from one province or state to the next; gas prices are quite high in Canada although : Almost 20¢/litre more! ⛽️ If living in a dense populated area sickens you, aim for Canada as it’s the best environment. Beware of language barriers, criminality, taxation rates, salary, transportation, quality of life in general, and climate. 🌪️Tornado allies are an American thing too, 30 tornadoes in a day tells you hell broke loose in central USA all the way up the St-Lawrence Seaway into Quebec’s hill valleys (Great Canadian Rock Barrier Limits). It’s VERY humid in Northern East Coast America, very dry in Southern parts of America, and stable in the West… for now, wait till 🌋Mount St-Helen’s awakens once more, or Mt Rainier or Mount Shasta…🗻 Hey, the world is there to ask questions, take notes, and plan your trip or stay.
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#60
If you want to have a nice life move to Europe, if you want to have a lot of money to spent when you are old and sick, stay in the US.
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#61
Just moved to Spain a couple of months ago. From America. USA/México
Already starting to get the feeling of being so controlled by the government and bureaucracy. Especially when trying to work as a freelancer. You have to pay a fixed amount of 300 Euros every month even if you have not made a single penny that month. And the higher the income, the higher the percentage of tax you pay. I think I would rather pay for health insurance in Mexico. I am just thinking out loud. I don’t know if anyone else has felt this way or is in a similar situation. There is a huge housing crisis in Spain. And the visa processing is Taking literally between 6 to 10 months. And those 10 months of waiting, you are not allowed to work. 🙄.
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#62
In Europe, you have to live south to enjoy the best sunny warm weather but those countries are difficult to live in terms of economy.
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#63
Well it depends on what you want in your life, do you want to pursue a career and build wealth. It’s gonna be A LOT easier to do in the US.
And I do find it super odd that Europeans find it unfathomable that anyone would want to live in the US for reasons other than money. When I was living in Europe I heard this sentiment a lot from people that haven’t even been to the US.
You lot need to live here for a bit before you make your strange assumptions. Not all Americans are MAGA weirdos.
Image source: cali86
#64
You already got a lot of “wealth” type answers but i actually really enjoy the culture in the states too. i live in nyc specifically so you can’t really generalize to the whole country but it is SO much more diverse and progressive here than anywhere in germany i’ve been (and i lived in berlin for a few years). i also work in tech so job opportunities are definitely better too, but even my day to day is so much more exciting here. i have friends from so many different countries, there are hundreds of different stores and restaurants to try, stuff is open near 24/7, technological progress is valued, and many people are friendly and ambitious and open minded. cherry on top is that we have legal dispensaries now too! whenever i go home these days i’m always so shocked how slow the service is everywhere, how rude people are, how bad the digital infrastructure is, and how little people do outside of going to work and then going back home. where i’m from most people have never even met a non-white person, or someone who is queer, or someone that has a different religion. again not possible to generalize but that’s been my personal experience at least.
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#65
I’ve spent the past 20 years in San Diego California. It’s a literal paradise, best weather in the world. I can surf and ski on the same day, and eat the best Mexican food in the world. Risk of kids being shot is low to moderate lol. It’s liberal. There’s lots of reasons people would fall in love with this city and lifestyle.
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#66
Just FYI – America is huge. Whether you are more liberal or more conservative, the majority of people are not the lunatics you see on social media.
America is made up of 50 states and most of them are a bit different than the next one, so anyone can really find a place they would like to call home.
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#67
[USA has] everything – wide roads, national parks, easy shopping, selection of restaurants, friendly service, open minded people, sunny weather, ease of investing, higher salaries, big houses with beautiful yards, ac everywhere, holidays, guns just the whole vibe.
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#68
Hm. It might just be that I always would have wanted to live far away from where I was born and raised. I’m not sure I want to stay in the US long-term, but I’ll take it over moving back to France. Objectively and on average, I think life in France is pretty good compared to the US. But it feels too small and familiar to me. I’m currently in Japan and I could see myself staying a while, but I probably would’ve felt the need to move away if that’s where I was from.
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#69
My German friend likes our beaches- she has lived in FL, HI, and CA, and she likes our large homes, large selection of consumer goods, and our car culture. She loves driving German cars everywhere. Even after her husband left her after almost 20 years, she stayed.
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#70
Europe. It’s easier to get around and you have a bit more freedom in your day to day life imo (like public drinking). Also, I feel like with your friends in Europe you meet up with them to be with them just because you’re friends, while in the US you usually meet up wi the friends to do an activity together.
Lived in Cleveland and in a small village near Bremen if it matters.
Image source: benelchuncho
#71
I lived in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Italy, and France. I prefer the US more. Just because I have more family here, it’s also easier to interact with people and make friends.
Image source: anon
#72
I have lived, and still live, back and forth in both Denmark and the US at different points in my life, and I see life in both as more from a pro-con rather than which one is better. I could talk more about it, but I’ll try and keep it very streamlined:
In Denmark, the family I have there are the closest in my life, and to be able to just get on the train and travel to them is so lovely; I never feel lonely. I also have always felt closer to the culture in Denmark than in the US throughout my life, and there’s more of a sense of community that I find within Denmark that is generally lacking to the same degree in American culture. With that being said, most of the country (with the exception of the areas around Copenhagen and Aarhus) is rather boring to be in, and to be in those areas that *are* fun tends to be much more expensive compared to my life in the US. As a naturally frugal person, I wince when I spend money on drinks during nights out with the friends I have there, or just simply buying clothes, which tend to be around 133%-250% more than the clothes in the US. During late Autumn-early Spring there, seasonal depression is a real thing and no joke, and for me, even with a support network I am so blessed to have and a general love of rain and snow, even getting out of bed can sometimes feel like I’m weighed down by a ton of bricks. I truly believe that combatting this seasonal depression is why “hygge” is such a thing as it currently is.
While in the US, I really enjoy being able to “forge along” more than I ever could with most of Europe. National parks are a whole new caliber in the US, and even state parks and beaches are great to traverse to with a group of friends to [have a casual conversation] with and enjoy the sunsets. I also feel in my part of the US (although this certainly is not the entire US), there’s generally a more tolerant and accommodating view of people from other cultures, and where you can get big, nonstereotypical, quality slices of the world without having to go all that far. As much as Denmark is a rather tolerant and open society too, there is still a large elephant in the room concerning immigrants and Danish-born people especially of originally Arabic and Turkish descent that has yet to be fully addressed, and gives me a feeling of social and cultural awkwardness that the US doesn’t make me feel on the ground. With that being said, national politics and the culture of animosity tied to it disgusts me, from Trump and his cult of personality, to the general toxicity that comes with only having seemingly only two mainstream opinions that matter. Also, the disinformation about anything outside the borders of the US (especially as it concerns healthcare and social democracy, since I am partially Danish and all) that are openly supported by both major political parties make me uncomfortable.
They have their pros and cons, but I’m glad for being able to live in both in different ways.
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#73
America if I was filthy rich but other than that Europe all the way. America is fantastic to experience as a tourist but once daily life settled in it often felt like I went back 20 years in time.
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#74
Overall I prefer Europe. I miss the more laid-back attitude on life over there. I miss being valued as a person instead of just being someone with a degrading 9-5 office job. Germany isn’t by any means perfect, but I feel it’s better than in the States. The infrastructure is better over there, so is the food, and just the way of life in general.
There’s things I like about the States too, I don’t think it’s all bad over here. But if I had to pick, I’d choose Germany.
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#75
There are great things and not so great things about both Countries, don’t let ANYONE discourage you. Some people prefer to live in the USA and some people prefer to live in Europe. The USA has 50 States, Europe has many Countries and just like Europe, those 50 States are different. I live in Europe, and it makes me laugh at the stupidity some of my friends say about the USA. I go back and forth from the USA and Europe and love both.
As for some of the comments here it amazes me how bad Europeans talk about Americans when they’ve probably never visited nor even lived there.
Pros and cons? It really depends what you are looking for, you will survive in both but if you are young you will have a lot more fun in the USA.
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#76
I totally think it depends on the city and state. I call a mid Atlantic City home and I absolutely love it. It’s walkable, liberal, artistic, has beautiful parks and friendly people… Everything I want in a home. On the flipside, I grew up in the deep south in a typical American sprawling suburb, and I absolutely loathed it. As a teen, I fantasized about escaping to Europe. It was hyper religious, backwards, and slow. So yeah, totally depends on the location.
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#77
Family here and in Spain. No one here wants to go back because the standard of living here is better. Bigger house, your own yard, higher salaries, etc. Additionally kids have a much better future. Unofficially unemployment rate for those 18-30 is 50%.
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#78
I’ve lived in Germany and the United States. I much prefer living in the US.
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#79
I lived in Germany as a kid and spend a fair amount of time in Spain these days. Soy estadounidense.
Between the US and all of Europe? I would say Europe but I recognize that it isn’t really a fair comparison. If I had to stay within one country it would be the USA without hesitation. The USA has a bit of everything-desert, mountains. beaches, cold parts, hot parts, amazingly huge cities and rural areas where hardly anyone lives.
These days they even have Soccer haha. Honestly that was a big problem with the USA for me for a while.
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#80
US 100% , the arrogance and entitlement in the UK was absolutely disgusting. They treat people in any type of service industry like [garbage] particularly waitresses and hostesses, I’d tip servers who didn’t even serve me as I walked out just because I witnessed the disgusting treatment they received from other patrons.
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