Just Show Me Where You're Truly Happy Living - And I'm Sold!

It won’t take much to convince me, just want to know where you guys are actually happy living

[Aleena_Bina_Kosimo]

Australian, here. I'll be honest, I think things are pretty great, here. First of all, really strong minimum wage laws, free healthcare, tax included in the priceof items, and plenty of nice places to see. There are also gun laws, since you mention it. I hear France also has free healthcare and such, but I personally don't think I would go there.

[miaravensong]

I'm from Germany. There are free healthcare and strict gun laws here. (Very few people actually own a gun.)
The costs of living are cheaper than in the US. There are payed days of for vacation (minimum 24 days when working 5 days a week) and when you are sick you are payed even when you stay at home.
I think I live a pretty happy life here.
Although obviously it's still life with ups and downs. ;)

[RitzSamaritano]

Northern Italy here.

Plus
* Very strict gun laws
* children go to school by themselves since the age of 6-7
* worker's rights means something here
* if you stay in a city you can also think to live without a car
* we're lacking of doctors so maybe there are interesting working opportunities for those who work in healthcare
* The Alps at your fingertips if you live in the north, stunning sea if you live in the south (and much better weather)
* living cost pretty cheap compared to the US, specially if you live outside big cities
* a lot of cultural differencies and different places to see at your fingertips (in 1h of flight you're basically everywhere in Europe)
* public and universal healthcare system
* pretty good and cheap (almost free compared to the US) schools and universities
* good public transports almost everywhere (at least in the North of Italy)

Cons
* bureaucracy in general
* Visa and immigration laws can be a headhache
* a little bit too crowded (specially in the cities) if you're used to the US standards
* a little messy in the South (less efficient public services, not so good public healthcare)


In general everything could be better and improved, if you speak to any Italian you'll get a ton of complains and examples of things that don't work so well, but we Italians are masters in complaining…
At the end of the day we're lucky, we're in a way better condition than a lot of places in the world.

The only serious complain I have regarding my country is that the difference between rich people and poor people is getting larger and larger, and that's not good for a healthy society, we're good of everyone's good; but I think this tendency is the same in a lot of other western countries...

[bholdwick]

I only thumbed up to help her find a better place to live

[annyphoenix]

Hi, Czech here 😊 very strict gun laws, free healthcare, high employment rates, kids as young at 8yo will take publuc transport to school on their own, a 6yo will play at tge public playground on their own, the parent can check them from their window. Also free education including universities and 2, 5 years of parental leave. You just need to find a job here, i know many American expats here, many came to see the culture and try to beer, stayed for all I've listed above 😊

[riverdeep]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Free health care. Beautiful landscapes all drive able.

[clamh]

I’m from Northern Ireland and I would not encourage anyone to move here. I’m actually looking to move myself. I can’t take the divisiveness anymore.

[menopam]

I'm from Nagaland, India😊 people in Nagaland are humble and peaceful.

[Czadzikable]

I wouldn't say the UK would be the best, safest place to live (that might be like Finland or Denmark), but it's certainly better than the US on all of those things you've mentioned. Yes, there are still many socio-political issues, but the polarisation is not AS bad as the US (everything in terms of political arguments is shifted towards a slightly more sane level than the US) at least no guns and your /your child's likelihood of getting killed in violent crime is much lower than the US, and there's the NHS, which has its problems (mainly due to 15 years of Tory underfunding) but still provides much better and more accessible (for everyone) healthcare for everyone in society, there's access to abortion, the education is meh, but I'd say still better than average public education in the US, and your family not having to learn a whole new language would be a plus.

The downsides for you moving from the US would definitely be lower standard of living in terms of housing and space, as it's a higher population density, so there's less space and houses are smaller and all the living spaces more cramped and people can't afford quite as much fancy stuff as people in the same career in the US - BUT at least everyone gets access to healthcare and abortion, and no guns.
I'm sure Finland, Denmark, Norway or Sweden, would be nicer, but you and family would have to learn their language.