Quality of life US vs the UK?

[Goodbye710]

For those who have been to both countries, I'm curious if you think life is harder in the UK or the US?

I live in the US and life is hard and toxic with very little safety net if something goes wrong. Worse, family or friends tend to not help if anything goes wrong and would rather see you on the streets than offer any physical or emotional support. Meaning, you'll be ghosted at the first sign of weakness or a physical illness.

I was wondering if the UK is as bad as my experience in the US?

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Life in the US already varies drastically between certain regions. It depends what part of it you're in. For example, even life in Northern California can be different in so many ways from Southern California (though probably still terrible in unique ways).

 

[Odwin]

What part of UK we talking about?

 

[HopelessFight]

That's a complicated question, but to summarize:

If you're born in a rich family, get the chance to get into a good high school and college (without crippling in debt afterwards) and manage to get a good job, life is probably better in the US. If you don't have money, well, life won't be great.

And ofcourse region in both countries matter a lot. You don't want to live in rural Texas if you're gay for example.

I know the above is a controversial statement and many Americans will disagree, but this is where it comes down to. I haven't personally lived in the US (although I did experience life in the UK), but I have some friends who moved to the US and they all tell me the same.

 

[Goodbye710]

What part of UK we talking about?

Maybe Wales. I'm not sure. Just thinking of my options.

Life in the US you basically have to withdraw from society to keep the toxicity away. It's really bad over here.

If I lived in Wales or England, I assume I wouldn't fit in because of the stereotype of all the ugly Americans and I'd have to withdraw from society also?

 

[Odwin]

That's a complicated question, but to summarize:

If you're born in a rich family, get the chance to get into a good high school and college (without crippling in debt afterwards) and manage to get a good job, life is probably better in the US. If you don't have money, well, life won't be great.

I know the above is a controversial statement and many Americans will disagree, but this is where it comes down to. I haven't personally lived in the US (although I did experience life in the UK), but I have some friends who moved to the US and they all tell me the same.

Well with crippling debt and no job

Maybe Wales. I'm not sure. Just thinking of my options.

Life in the US you basically have to withdraw from society to keep the toxicity away. It's really bad over here.

If I lived in Wales or England, I assume I wouldn't fit in because of the stereotype of all the ugly Americans and I'd have to withdraw from society also?

From what I've seen. While life in the US can be harder in contrast to the UK. The life quality seems to be better in the US.

 

[loopylou]

What part of UK we talking about?

Maybe Wales. I'm not sure. Just thinking of my options.

Life in the US you basically have to withdraw from society to keep the toxicity away. It's really bad over here.

If I lived in Wales or England, I assume I wouldn't fit in because of the stereotype of all the ugly Americans and I'd have to withdraw from society also?

I'm ugly and have no friends. I'm from the U.K. I don't fit in anywhere but here

 

[popcorn]

i'd choose the UK all day. health care is inhumane in america i believe

 

[Outofhope]

For those who have been to both countries, I'm curious if you think life is harder in the UK or the US?

I live in the US and life is hard and toxic with very little safety net if something goes wrong. Worse, family or friends tend to not help if anything goes wrong and would rather see you on the streets than offer any physical or emotional support. Meaning, you'll be ghosted at the first sign of weakness or a physical illness.

I was wondering if the UK is as bad as my experience in the US?

Both as bad as each other

 

[Tackingintothewind]

My neighbours are American and they're accepted. Ok sometimes they induce eyerolling but we are mostly passive in the uk. The eyerolling is done behind their backs.

 

[Beachedwhale]

America has bigger houses.

The UK has the NHS.

 

[nolongerhuman]

I haven't been in the UK personally but I've talked to a number of people who have lived in the UK and opinions range from "I like it there and wish the US was more like the UK" to "This country sucks and I wish I could leave". Positive opinions of the UK also seemed to be positively correlated with how well off financially the person being asked was.

 

[TotallyIsolated]

I'm from the UK and I visited the US for a couple of weeks for work. My main takeaway from discussions with colleagues was that I would have more money in the states because salaries are higher and the same amount of money has more purchasing power - cars, in particular, are *much* more affordable in the US.

That extra money comes at a cost though. You've already discussed healthcare, but there are things like rights and protections as an employee, for instance. You can get fired at any time in the US and for no reason, which seems crazy to me. People at the same pay grade as me also seemed to get less paid vacation allowance, and there are fewer public holidays in the US.

Other observations...

• There is SOO much space in the US. Everything is bigger and more spread out. Also jaywalking is a thing, so you kind of need a car to get anywhere.
• There is more choice in the US and portion sizes are generous. In a coffee shop in the states they make you a drink to order how you like it. In the UK you can have coffee with or without milk, and theres no such thing as half-and-half. It wasn't until the big American coffee chains arrived in Europe that you could even get a latte in Britain!
• There is untamed wilderness in America! In the UK there are no natural predators, and you're never more than 10 miles from a pub! I think there used to be wolves in Britain eons ago but we killed them all. You can walk into the wilderness and the worst that could happen to you is a cow might chase you out of a field. In the states you could get eaten by a bear in your back yard!

I have known people who moved in both directions and none of them seemed to regret it.

 

[JustAMatterOfTime]

I would choose America over Britain any day but there is probably not much difference in terms of quality of life in all first world Western countries apart from small rich places like Denmark/ Iceland / Norway.

 

[Odwin]

I would choose America over Britain any day but there is probably not much difference in terms of quality of life in all first world Western countries apart from small rich places like Denmark/ Iceland / Norway.

But we can agree that food is better in the US than in Britain

 

[BluesRunTheGame]

Well sure the US has the Golden Gate Bridge but the UK has Beachy Head. Then again it's easy to get SN in the US...

Wait is this what we're talking about?

Also...

I'm ugly

No you're not.

 

[JustAMatterOfTime]

But we can agree that food is better in the US than in Britain

No not at all, even bread has sugar in it in America

 

[Odwin]

No not at all, even bread has sugar in it in America

Depends on the bread you take, but yeah in the US everything is more on the sweet side. Doesnt mean everything is sweet.

 

[Phoenix]

America is way better because they serve Dr Pepper everywhere and everything comes with a side of gherkins

 

[demuic]

That's a complicated question, but to summarize:

If you're born in a rich family, get the chance to get into a good high school and college (without crippling in debt afterwards) and manage to get a good job, life is probably better in the US. If you don't have money, well, life won't be great.

And ofcourse region in both countries matter a lot. You don't want to live in rural Texas if you're gay for example.

I know the above is a controversial statement and many Americans will disagree, but this is where it comes down to. I haven't personally lived in the US (although I did experience life in the UK), but I have some friends who moved to the US and they all tell me the same.

That's a big if.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Being rich kind of makes your life better no matter where you are and even in places like China, Mexico, India, and France.