> The US is an incredibly cheap place to live.

From what I hear - I've never been there - this remains true only as long as you're not ill, don't need education and are employed. In most EU countries these things are taken care of for you, so the comparison seems a bit unfair.

A lot of European countries have free health care provided by the government. It is an apples to oranges comparison in many ways.

I don't think many Americans consider how lucky we are that we have practically unlimited land compared to many industrialized nations. In Germany housing is very expensive. Homes are often passed down generations and parents move back in with their kids during retirement much more often than in the US.