"I'm curious what ways you would argue Canada has a significantly lower standard of living."

I'm Canadian.

Our GDP/cap is usually lower.

I work in tech, my salary is less than 1/2 what it would be in the US (not just Silicon Valley).

Most goods are more expensive here.

We do have Universal Health care, and generally good schools and Unis, it's generally safer, cops are more low key etc. etc.

It's hard to compare societies, and I think the US could learn a lot from our system, but in most 'individual metrics' Canada is just poorer, economically. (Though I'd hate to be poor in the US.) There's just so, so much more economic activity and points of prosperity in the US sometimes I find it mind-boggling, again, it's a lot of Apples to Oranges admittedly.

> I work in tech, my salary is less than 1/2 what it would be in the US (not just Silicon Valley).

Yes, but I'd argue that SV income might look higher, but after you try living there you'd gladly go back to Canadian expenses if the compromise was that you also had to take your Canadian income once again. Also, income inequality in Canada isn't as bad as the US (yet...)

Why? Do you think people are too stupid to do basic math? Totally ignorant of their monthly expenses? What is it that compels people like you to bring up "cost of living" as though anyone who says "higher salary" is a complete moron?

Is it just bay area zealots on both sides embracing the meme that "IT'S SO EXPENSIVE".

We get it. we know. We don't look at SF and go "oh wow, 10 k more a year" while paying 2000 a month more in rent. We look at it and go "oh wow, 110k more a year, even with the rents thats a lot of money".

I’m not saying everyone cannot do the math, but for sure, lots of people are in denial of the math.

Canadians are on average happier and live longer. I really don't see how you can argue there's a lower standard of living.

Also, isn't the median household income higher in Canada than the US?

No, but they are apparently 6th and 7th with a pretty marginal difference. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_income

honestly, the thing that made me question was lumping Canada in with Mexico. Not shitting on Mexico, but the standard of living there is clearly lower.

So am I, and I make less money but my standard of living isn't that much higher. Certainly less than I would expect making twice as much. Our HDI is the same. GDP per capita in the states is about 10k higher, but Gini is lower in Canada.