This is really the question that throw’s people for loops in my experience. Not contextually what you were addressing but in comparison to my parents in the US.

Many things are much more inexpensive jeans, shoes (functional not trendiest), entry-level tools, computers, media, etc.

Whats not more inexpensive and what imho really actually matters are things like education, housing, and the barrier to entry to careers (require licensing, certfications etc.)