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I made this exact decision when accepting a job offer back in the US recently. Chose the US, but I am sure my mind will change at some point in the future.
With that said, there is no US city that I would put above London. Would rather live there than in most places on earth if all things were equal. Overall though, if I were to list a top 5 places I would live in the US and UK, the US would fill the majority of the list.
Where would you rather live, the United States or United Kingdom? Both are two of the richest countries in the world and offer many employment opportunities and are places one can live comfortably and be financially secure. Much poverty exists in both countries but it is nothing compared to poverty in third world countries and even China. I will weigh certain factors against each other and determine which country fares better.
Employment opportunities:
Both countries have lots of employment opportunities and have many immigrants relocating to both countries. However, the US wages are slightly higher and taxes slightly lower. Food and clothes are also cheaper in the US, despite being very similar in quality to the UK. Also, fairly large houses in the US are often cheaper than smaller houses in the UK.
Winner: US
Healthcare:
The US healthcare system is appalling for a country so wealthy. If you have a secure job your employer covers your health insurance. However, millions do not have secure health insurance. I do not believe treatment for health issues minor or major should be a luxury. The UK has a National Health Service free to the point of use. The winner on this issue is clear.
Winner: UK
Crime:
It is a well known fact that many shootings occur in the US, between rival gangs, civilians being shot, police shootings or school shootings. The fact many school kids have to go through security going to school is ridiculous. The UK has no gun violence as a gun cannot be purchased by civilians. However, knife crime is a massive problem in the UK resulting in many deaths especially in cities with very rough areas such as London, Birmingham and Glasgow. However, all of the previously mentioned US factors are worse.
Winner: UK
Education:
Both countries have some of the best universities in the world. Both have high levels of tuition, however, I believe the US is slightly more expensive, meaning many working-class parents can't afford to send their intelligent children to college which is unfair. However, the scholarships in the US are a very good thing. The US is a much bigger country with many more colleges to choose from.
Winner: US
Food:
Both countries have delicious food. The UK has fish and chips, steak and ale pie, full English breakfast and the US has cheeseburgers, burritos, pretzels. These are only a few of the many items both countries have to offer. Having eaten in both countries I prefer US food, even though UK food isn't far behind.
Winner: US
Government:
Last year, both countries had right wing Governments. Boris Johnson and Donald Trump are both very unpopular, however Trump is considerably worse. Although Biden is a poor choice for candidate, it is much better than having a right wing president, let alone one as deluded as Trump. Last year the UK would have won but the US now has a left wing Government and is responding to COVID much better. However politics is entirely subjective so take what I'm saying here with a grain of salt and feel free to disagree.
Winner: US
COVID Response:
Despite both countries being very affluent, just as affluent as Australia and New Zealand, they have had very poor COVID responses, while the former two have had brilliant responses and life has been normal there for some time. Both countries had shaky lockdowns, somewhat later than most places. However, the UK Government responded far better, mostly due to Trump downplaying the severity of the virus, while Johnson accepted its severity. Both countries have had very high death rates per capita, with the UK being slightly worse in terms of deaths. However both countries are having successful vaccine rollouts and slowly resuming to normal.
Winner: UK
Weather:
It is no secret that the UK weather is terrible with frequent overcast skies and cold temperatures, even in the summer. The US is more like a continent than a country with much of the country having blue skies and all four seasons. Many parts of the country are cloudy in winter but essentially everywhere gets a good amount of sunshine in the summer. Seattle, America's cloudiest city is still sunnier than Cornwall, the sunniest part of Britain. Seattle is also sunny most days in summer, despite being dreary the rest of the year. In the US you can experience arctic like temperatures in Minnesota in January and warm weather year-round in Miami. In most of the US, winter days are 9-10 hours long. The UK averages around 7-8 hours and is very dark in the mornings. You can get year-round abundant sunshine in LA and all four seasons in the midwest. The UK Weather is pretty much the same year round, with the temperature decreasing slightly as you move north. The winner here is clear.
Winner: US
Health:
Both countries have many fast-food chains that sell fatty foods. Many supermarkets in both countries also sell products high in sugars salts or fats. Both countries have high levels of obesity, especially in comparison to other parts of Europe. However, the US is slightly worse. The average American weighs considerably more than the average Brit and the portion sizes are considerably larger. There are many countries healthier than the UK, but in comparison with the US on health, the UK wins.
Winner: UK
People:
People in the UK, like most of northern Europe are very reserved and unsmiling. These people are friendly towards friends and family but not towards strangers. Small talk doesn't exist and if you say hello to someone you don't know they'll think you're crazy. People have manners in the UK always saying please and thank you, but are not friendly. Customer service, you will be greeted but very unlikely that smiling or small talk will happen, unlike the US. The US is the opposite, people will smile at you, even if you're a stranger, small talk between strangers is very common. Americans are also louder and more emotional than Brits which may seem annoying and even intimidating if you're not used to it, but it's much easier to befriend an American you meet on the street than a British person.
Winner: US
Overall, both countries have their pros and cons. The social system in the UK with their legislation is much better than the US. No school shootings, gun crime, healthcare financial issues. However, the US is cheaper for the same or better quality. My overall pick is the US. Despite the previously mentioned issues being uncalled for and not a problem at all in the UK, these issues are unlikely to eat away at the majority of Americans everyday of their lives. Where you live comes down to how it can make one happy. Living in a country where it is overcast 3/4 of the time, rains a lot is black at 7.45 for 6 weeks out of the year and seldom gets heat, and even when it is warm its not very warm, is not for me. The US has much better weather, the US winters may be more brutal but are sunnier and the summer comes around every year and is hot or warm and sunny almost everywhere. American people are generally happier and more outgoing which can make life better too. I'd rather live somewhere were people smile and greet me rather than frown and don't have small talk as part of their culture. Both countries are two of the best in the world, however my pick is the US. Please tell me which points of mine you agree/disagree on and which place you would rather live. This will be an exciting thread for Brits and Americans due to the subjective bias or possibly lack thereof, but will be more exciting to see people not from these two countries giving their views too.
I don't want to live in these two countries I actually like countries with history American culture lacks historical details There are many countries in the world that can be modernized . Except California and Texas The rest of the country has too few people .
I don't want to live in these two countries I actually like countries with history American culture lacks historical details There are many countries in the world that can be modernized . Except California and Texas The rest of the country has too few people .
The most densely populated part of the United States is east of the Mississippi River.
I do prefer the standard British accent to the standard American accent. That said, I do like certain accents associated with the southern USA.
I feel the same way, also about the Southern US (particularly Georgia as it has a unique accent, not as strong as the states like Alabama, Kentucky, etc.). Accents like New York or Boston kind of get on my nerves.
One thing I noticed about Britain is the way people dress, much more elegant and less casual. It's not just females even though that's what I'll notice more, if you watch FF: Hobbs & Shaw you'll notice it (actually my wife pointed that out, lol).
I feel the same way, also about the Southern US (particularly Georgia as it has a unique accent, not as strong as the states like Alabama, Kentucky, etc.). Accents like New York or Boston kind of get on my nerves.
One thing I noticed about Britain is the way people dress, much more elegant and less casual. It's not just females even though that's what I'll notice more, if you watch FF: Hobbs & Shaw you'll notice it (actually my wife pointed that out, lol).
Ny and boston accents .. get on your nerves?
What does that even mean?
Ny and boston accents .. get on your nerves?
What does that even mean?
It probably sounds rude, but I also find the traditional/stereotypical New York and Boston accents a bit grating. I don't want to get technical (but can if I have to), but those accents do some things with vowels and Rs that are unlike the rest of the country and can be considered unappealing elsewhere. And actually, they are dying out; I seldom hear younger people (>50) whose accent is as pronounced as the elders and the Midwest/West Coast accents have become standard.
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