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The TV license may be 145 GBP per year in the UK, which sounds like a lot of money until you look at cable/satelite/internet prices
Here in the US I am paying $130/month for cable/landline phone and internet through the areas only provider Charter
My daughter in the UK is paying 21GBP a month for a similar service from BT, she also has many other providers to choose from.
The same applies with cellphones which are much cheaper in the UK
Public transport where I live in the US is pretty much unheard of, where my daughter lives in the UK it is abundant and cheap
UK income taxes are much simpler than the US, only certain people need to file a return (self employed, those with more than one job) each year
The NHS ... it isnt perfect but its there if you need it without having to worry how much its going to cost
Oh and VAT (value added tax) yes its 20% but the cost is already figured into the price you see unlike the US where an item may be $199 but then you have to add on state sales tax.
Petrol prices may be shocking until you realise that diesel engines are efficient and most get around 50-60mpg, some even more.
Downside to the UK is its cramped, houses are smaller, the weather isn't always all that great and its 3,500 miles away :\
I don't have to listen to people talk about the English Premier League
Much much better customer service
Better Japanese food
No minimum amount for debit card purchases
Less road works
No roundabouts
Cost of fuel
Less people smoke
Optimistic outlook
There are actually more similarities than differences to be honest. The 2 biggest differences for me are weather and people. The weather is much better here (CA) and the people are way more positive. Now if only they were less religious it would be perfect.
The TV license may be 145 GBP per year in the UK, which sounds like a lot of money until you look at cable/satelite/internet prices
Here in the US I am paying $130/month for cable/landline phone and internet through the areas only provider Charter
My daughter in the UK is paying 21GBP a month for a similar service from BT, she also has many other providers to choose from.
The same applies with cellphones which are much cheaper in the UK
Public transport where I live in the US is pretty much unheard of, where my daughter lives in the UK it is abundant and cheap
UK income taxes are much simpler than the US, only certain people need to file a return (self employed, those with more than one job) each year
The NHS ... it isnt perfect but its there if you need it without having to worry how much its going to cost
Oh and VAT (value added tax) yes its 20% but the cost is already figured into the price you see unlike the US where an item may be $199 but then you have to add on state sales tax.
Petrol prices may be shocking until you realise that diesel engines are efficient and most get around 50-60mpg, some even more.
Downside to the UK is its cramped, houses are smaller, the weather isn't always all that great and its 3,500 miles away :\
This --technically I'm not supposed to answer but I have stayed with my husband when he lived in the UK so I was sort of living there, did the grocery shopping, and so on.
Weather--if you live in the US you would usually have to live in one place to get a fairly good summer and another place to get a fairly good winter. Summers in the American south are steamy and horrible; winters in the American north are sub freezing with lots of ice and snow. And looooooooong. Also, extremes of weather like killer tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards.
The NHS--we are only starting to get health care for everyone and still a lot of people are screaming and making trouble over it. They have THEIRS and they don't seem to care that other people have nothing or very little. People go broke paying to go to the doctor, buying medicine.
Cellphones and tv are expensive in the US.
Groceries in my part of the US are a little bit more than in the UK for poorer quality. More chemicals, more food in boxes, not fresh. Dairy products taste worse in the US and hormones are in milk.
From the UK you can go to Europe. In the US you are lucky if you get to travel in your own country and maybe one trip overseas in your lifetime. Travel within the US is expensive.
UK--you are never that far from the ocean. In the US you can be more than 3500 miles away (although lots of people have never seen the ocean and don't care.)
TV--In the US it's terrible rubbish. All murder and violence. We have one good tv channel, PBS. You have to pay a lot of money for tv and there is no choice of programming. Many people are giving up tv.
Guns--in many states people are allowed to walk around carrying guns. They don't even have to get a background check--they just carry guns. You could pass someone on the street and they could have a gun on them. I can't imagine living in a state like that. Those same people can come into this state with their guns and no one would know it so you can't feel safe anywhere.
US--houses are nicer, usually. Some are much too big, wasteful, show off houses. But in general the houses here are better.
US--has some very nice beaches. Florida in winter and the more northern coast, including New England in summer. also west coast beaches.
US--clothing is better quality and cheaper in general.
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