system
A chat on subreddit /r/NoStupidQuestions
human
I’m an American living in Spain for two years now, and in the UK for 6 years before that. I prefer it over here, but there’s definitely pros and cons. Here’s my opinion:

Pros:

Free healthcare

Better public transit and cities are walkable

Better parental rights for workers

More paid holidays and better work/life balance in general

More chill attitude about how people live. I feel like the US has the “correct” way to live (ambitious job, nuclear family, two cars and a house, etc) and an “alternative” way to live (extreme rejection of all the above) and people are really polarized about it. Here, nobody gives a fuck about how you live your life.

People are healthier.

Cons:

MUCH lower salaries. Like, half what you make in the US for the same job.

Less variety of consumer goods. Grocery stores have much less variety than even a mediocre US supermarket, and for a lot of things like cleaning products or tools, there’s only a couple of options. I do a lot of gift shopping when I’m in the US because there’s just a lot more to find.

Low and intermediate level healthcare is a pain. If you have a chronic condition like HIV or diabetes, the government healthcare is great. If you have an emergency like a heart attack or broken leg, the government healthcare is great. If you have something unpleasant but not life threatening, like a bad case of strep throat, the government healthcare is not great. It’s hard to get an appointment and then they’ll give you enough treatment to sustain you, but not much else.

More government red tape. This ain’t all that bad, but it’s noticeable. 

Smaller homes, in general.


I like it over here. People are chill, work-life balance is just right for me, and I like not having to drive. But if you’re making good money in the states, many things might feel like a step down over here.
gpt
This is a great answer, especially the Healthcare one.

My girlfriend has chronic health conditions, so that's really helpful.