Don't act like you don't need a lot of money in Europe.

Well, you don't need a lot of money. The exception would normally be medical needs but those are generally covered if you're in the system. You may want things that cost a lot of money, but this is a different problem, with more than one solution.

(I'm not advocating curtailed wants or frugality. My life is pretty comfy and I like it that way.)

Not every place in EU has tax-funded universal healthcare. It's the minority actually. Most countries require you to pay health insurance - and that's certainly not cheap if you're a software engineer as it's based on your income - e.g. 13.5% of my pre-tax (25%) income where I live; that makes it more expensive (absolutely - without income adjustment) than the most expensive premium US health insurance plan for me, without any of the perks. And where is universal healthcare there are also enormous taxes (>50%).

Real estate is much more expensive in major European cities compared to US major cities (income-adjusted), and is taxed a lot on top of income taxes. And rural real estate is much cheaper in the US both absolutely and income-adjusted.

Vehicles and fuel are more expensive here too + again major taxes. Traveling by public transport is reality only in major German and French metropolitan areas, you need a car everywhere else as soon as you need to cross the city border at least semi-regularly.

And yet not even coronavirus tests are free here, as opposed to many places in the US.