I agree, but housing is the real kicker in Europe. Lower wages and higher taxes on working people (income and sales tax are way higher than property, inheritan

I agree, but housing is the real kicker in Europe. Lower wages and higher taxes on working people (income and sales tax are way higher than property, inheritance and capital gains taxes (if they even exist!)) make it almost impossible to save up a reasonable deposit. Meanwhile house prices have gone to the moon. 30% rise in Stockholm in the last year alone for example, a 100+% rise in most of southern England since 2008, etc. So you're stuck renting, and paying more for less, with no hope of building up savings for retirement (the state pension won't exist for us!).