This is what people mean when they say - "the quality of life in America is higher"

The US is frequently referred to as "the land of opportunities". I 100% agree with that.

Since coming to the US from Israel in 2015, I heard this statement many many times. People say, "the quality of life in America is higher", "In America, you start your life earlier", "In America, you buy a house in your 20s!"

With Israel specifically, differences are night and day. Wealth looks different. Even the wealthiest people in Israel live in modesty compared to a similar level of wealth in the US.

In my circle, I hear a lot of Americans talk down on the US. It's healthcare, education, violence, and government. And so I want you to know that many people around the world would dream of having an American level of quality of life. And you should be proud of your country.

Disclaimer. I was lucky. My talent in swimming granted me the finance of not one but two degrees. My education helped me get a good-paying job. And so, my experience and interpretation is 100% personal and is influenced by my privileges.

Salaries are higher

Jobs are paying more in America. Even low-paying minimum wage jobs tend to pay more. For me, doing the same job in Europe will pay 30%-40% less than what I am getting right now.

People in America know that good talent costs money. And good service costs money.

Do you know what higher salaries do? They pay for convenience and opportunities. They pay for services that you can do yourself, but you don't have to. They pay for a good car and a nice apartment. They pay for activities and experiences.

Don't want to drive? you can fly.

Don't want to cook? Order in. Groceries too. And Hello Fresh.

Don't have workout motivation? Go to expensive fitness classes.

And this is just the baseline.

Tax tends to be lower too (unless you are in the highest possible tax bracket). This also means you get less from the government. But, at least you are in a better position to pay for what you need yourself.

Absolutely everything is available or can be shipped to your doorstep

Americans do not understand or do not appreciate the absolute royalty-level convenience we get with Amazon and deliveries. You can order ANYTHING right to your doorstep. Things also get delivered in a day. A DAY! I once ordered Nespresso pods and they showed up 12 hours later. I was shocked.

Imagine a world where you can't get stuff off of Amazon, and you have to physically go and get the stuff you need. It's awful. It's so awful that I can feel it on a 2-week visit back to Israel. And not because I am a big shopper.

It's not that deliveries don't exist elsewhere. You can. It's more expensive, there will be less to choose from, and it will take weeks to be delivered.

A free market for businesses

Do you know what options create? They create c-o-m-p-e-t-i-t-i-o-n. And what does the competition to between businesses? (1) Create competitive prices (2) Create exquisite customer service (3) Create better and better products.

And what does that do? That creates a world where the consumer is the heart. Companies are racing each other for your business and you get the best possible most convenient solution for you.

On-the-Go Mentality

It blows my mind. The mentality of the "in-and-out", or just "doing something on the go", without it completely getting your day stuck is phenomenal!! And, it is common in the US. Here, when I run errands (like going to the bank, the doctor, to get groceries, to get my nails done, to the gym), it fits into my day, rather than me planning my day around it. In Israel, I need to plan ahead and dedicate multiple hours to one task. It's just not set in that way.

Public transportation

People in NYC don't give the subway enough credit. People in Long Island, Connecticut, and New-Jersey simply don't give the public transportation system enough credit!!

The train is a beautiful beautiful thing!! The option to (once again) hop in and out of anywhere is SO convenient. The freedom to let your day go however it flows without having to rely on a car and sitting in traffic is the biggest life upgrade I am experiencing at this time.

My commute from my apartment in CT to the office in NYC is 75 minutes. 75 peaceful minutes in which I get to read, call my grandma, work. Yes, I scroll through TikTok too.

This might apply more to big cities, I do know that in the suburbs people need a car for everything.

Customer Service

I have said it before, the customer service here in the US is on another level. "The customer is always right" has a different meaning.

I'll give you an example. When I order things online (which is convenience at its best), and find out it doesn't fit me or not to my liking. I simply send it back. I bet you're takeing THAT for granted,

And, I don't even have to go to the post office, I just drop it off at my building or at one of the (thousands) of cute little drop off boxs around my area.

What about things that I buy, and use, but they break? In most cases, I GET A NEW ONE!

I am not saying this to abuse the system. I am a marketer, I KNOW the implications. The cost that the companies eat in returns, repairs, replacements is nothing in light of how much revenue a happy loyal customer brings over time. The convenience of the returns and knowing that customer service got my back makes customer BUY MORE. Because they aren't afraid, they know that in worse case, they CAN return it.

What about other countries? Customer service doesn't exist where I am coming from. You get yelled at, and definitely not being helped.

I am sure there are other examples, but that's all I can think of for right now. For all of the reasons above and many more, the quality of life in America very good.