Having spent significant time in both continents, I believe regular people have it better in the EU. I think the rich have it better in the US with low taxes, extreme wages, and a market that offers them better versions of everything in life for those that can pay.
Perception of crime is isn’t the same thing as reality.
I don’t know what country you’re in so I can’t speak any further, but just going off of hard data, the US has a much higher violent crime rate than does Western Europe.
> according to our local media and parliamentarians, a large and increasing share of the population is falling into poverty, increasingly has to choose between food or heating or sports/music activities for their children
Similar vein to above, but also “increasing” means a different thing depending on the starting point. Doubling the poverty rate from 1 to 2% (obviously a made up number here, just making a point) doesn’t mean you’re doing worse than a place that is consistently holding at 10%.
Yes, the grass is always greener on the other side. And people tend to be more aware of problems around them than those further away (baring extreme cases like third world countries and disaster areas).
I live in one of the richest European countries according to the linked article. I've often seen it held as shining beacon in English language press. But according to our local media and parliamentarians, a large and increasing share of the population is falling into poverty, increasingly has to choose between food or heating or sports/music activities for their children. In a national opinion poll 48% cites crime as a large/very large problem.