No, not Albania. Yes, the people are poorer when measured in USD, but infinitely richer in quality of life. This is not just my observation, I knew quite a few

No, not Albania. Yes, the people are poorer when measured in USD, but infinitely richer in quality of life. This is not just my observation, I knew quite a few expats from the West (US/UK) that share my opinion after living here for years. I know people who work minimum wage jobs in this country earning less than $500/month that live far better lives than those earning minimum wage jobs in Canada and the US. You can get an apartment here for $100/month. They have their own apartments (or share with friends or family), live dignified, independent, interesting, non-lonely lives with lots to do and enough free time. Meanwhile, the minimum wage workers I know in Canada and the US struggle to survive and have nothing to live for. Admittedly this is not just about cost optimization, this is about something gone wrong with culture and way of life in the West. And restaurants are not just "cheap for me" because I earn in USD. It's also relatively cheap for them, i.e. they can afford to occasionally enjoy a beautiful restaurant even on a minimum wage salary. Anyway cost is not the issue, the point is that they do things that make no sense financially, such as maintain a collection of live houseplants and vintage artwork in their restaurants and stores, just because there's a culture of beauty and art as opposed to a culture of pure profit.