10 Ways Europeans Live LAVISH Lives Compared to Americans, Would You Shift There?

When people compare cities, they often look at a variety of factors, including cultural attractions, infrastructure, cost of living, and quality of life.

When asked, many Americans desire to get a few things (or things considered a luxury in the U.S. but not there) from Europe, and here are the top picks.

 

1. Public transportation

“Readily available and reliable public transportation,” said one.

“This blew me away traveling in Europe. ” No matter where you are, even if it’s some middle-of-nowhere farm town, you’re never far from a train station, and you can just hop a train and go anywhere you want,” said another. 

 

2. Vacation 

“Guaranteed 4+ weeks of vacation. And the fact that they are encouraged to take the vacation instead of being made to feel that it’s a burden to the employer that you go on vacation,” said one.

“My boss in the U.K. recently spoke to me about my leave. He said that I hadn’t taken a day off in over 4 months and wanted to remind me to take time off“, said another. 

Read: 10 Worst Cities To Avoid in the U.S. in 2023 (For Relocating Or Travel)

 

3. Affordable Universities

“Affordable universities…our daughter is going to university in Scotland. Our U.S. friends always respond with shock at the “luxury” of going overseas for school until I tell them it’s 1/2 the cost of an equivalent U.S. college. That includes travel expenses”, shared one. 

“If you’re Scottish, it’s free!” added another. 

Read: 18 Most Usless Degrees To Avoid If You Want A Well-Paying Job

 

4. Healthcare

“Healthcare. Life work balance. Walkable communities. Great train service.” said one. 

“Health care should be number 1, IMO, but unless we’re sick, we don’t typically care, I guess.” said another.

“I remember when healthcare became a luxury in the early 1990s. I was paying $500/month for good insurance for nearly 10 senior sw/hw engineers. Imagine my surprise when the annual renewal cost was $1200. Absolutely nothing had changed, no major illnesses among my employees, just “your premium just increased by 240 percent”.” shared another Redditor.

 

5. Parental Leave

“Paid parental leave. I had used all my leave with my first kid, so when I had another kid a year and a half later, I was back on my feet teaching in under 6 weeks. Dogs get better treatment than working mothers,” said one.

Read: 20 best stay at home mom jobs that pay well (+ gives you flexibility)

 

6. Better Food

“Much cleaner, higher quality food with fewer chemicals, preservatives, and other junk. The E.U. has stricter food quality standards, and a wide selection of American food cannot be imported into the E.U. because it contains chemicals, additives, preservatives, etc., on the banned list. The food tastes better, and the difference in how you feel after a week is very noticeable. American food is trash.” shared one.

 

7. Toilet doors 

“Toilet doors on stalls that go all the way to the floor.” said one.

 

8. Walkable cities

“Walkable streets with functional transit and intra-urban rail service that’s preferable to driving.” said one.

“Densely populated walkable cities.” said another. “Imagine walking to school, then picking up groceries on the way back, then walking to visit a friend. You can only do that in NYC.” shared another. 

Read: Retiring Soon or Want To Retire Soon? You Better Live In One Of These 10 Places in the USA

 

9. High-Speed Rail

“High-speed rail. It was so nice to jump on a train and get to the next major city quickly.” said one.

 

10. Safety

“School children who come back home alive,” said one. “Schools that don’t run active shooter drills.” added another. 

We hope you enjoyed this discussion on what Europeans have daily that you see as a luxury in the U.S. Is there anything you would like to add?

Read: Escape to Paradise: 10 U.S. Destinations That Will Take Your Breath Away

More From Mrs Daaku Studio:

Strange but True: 10 European Habits That Leave Americans Scratching Their Heads. 

We wanted to know what are the European traits that Americans find strange.

10 European Habits That Leave Americans Scratching Their Heads

 

10 Endangered Jobs That May NOT Be Around Much Longer

Some professions are becoming obsolete as technology, and societal shifts continue to shape the workforce. We bave listed some jobs that don’t see the light in the coming years. 

10 Endangered Jobs That May Not Be Around Much Longer

 

Kill It: 10 Frugal Things That You’re Doing, But Aren’t Worth it ANYMORE!

While being frugal is a wise financial practice, not all frugal habits appeal to everyone. Some may find certain practices tedious, uncomfortable, or just not worth it anymore.

Kill It Now: 10 Frugal Things That You’re Doing, But Aren’t Worth It Anymore

 

11 Most Hated or Useless Jobs That People Wish They Could Eliminate From Society

The modern job market is diverse, and each profession has a unique value. However, specific jobs may be considered useless, providing little benefit to society.

11 Most Hated or Useless Jobs That People Wish They Could Eliminate from Society

 

Don’t Get Duped: 10 Biggest Rip-Offs That You Are Continuously Buying

As consumers, we often fall prey to clever marketing tactics and gimmicks that convince us to buy overpriced products or services that don’t live up to expectations. 

Don’t Get Duped: 10 Biggest Rip-offs That You Are Continuously Buying

This originally appeared on Mrs. Daaku Studio