From a tech workers perspective in Western Europe, we have relatively high wages compared to the median, but it's just heavily taxed. For reference: when I star

From a tech workers perspective in Western Europe, we have relatively high wages compared to the median, but it's just heavily taxed. For reference: when I started my first tech job 5 years ago, I started off at a pay higher than my mom who's 30 years into a career in public services. I started off in the highest tax bracket from the get go too. These high taxes are indeed used to run a lot of public services such as schooling, infrastructure, socialized healthcare etc. As such there's a high degree of wealth re-distribution since the people that don't/can't contribute as much still get the benefits of all of these public services. As to the higher cost of living, I personally feel like we tend to have access to the staples at a similar level of purchasing power as Northern Americans, but our disposable income doesn't stretch remotely as far beyond that. Automobiles are far less accessible, a new iPhone would eat up a substantial amount of my monthly take home, etc. Just my anecdotal and very top level two cents right here.