Perhaps I am naive, but in the ways that matter, I don't think it _does_ mean suffering more.
Don't live in the middle of Arizona if you don't like heat. Eat less meat - you'll get used to it.
Honestly just living in a well-insulated flat a walk or bike ride from most amenities, eating little meat, and using renewably-sourced electricity would get us a long ways there.
Our entire society is _designed_ to trap you.
You either start life with no educational debt BUT no job prospects, OR you have the prospect of a decent job BUT massive student loans.
You are "free" to do what you like, unless you decide you don't want to be in debt for housing (or owe money to a landlord).
Homelessness is increasingly illegal and we let homeowners create a housing cartel, so you're forced to buy whether you want or not.
A huge part of the value people generate is captured by others, and living a life where you opt out of this is increasingly illegal.
Of course, this isn't new. One of the silver linings of the black plague was helping to end feudalism. It was pretty damn brutal though.