I just wrote it...

It's called living overseas in many different countries. Gaining living experience real-time. I've only been back in America since the end of 2008. You don't have to believe me when I say that there is NOTHING out there in any of those countries that I would trade our American standards for, to have here. We have it so great here.

Just one example of the difference is when you go through the process of obtaining a drivers license or car registration in other countries. You would not believe the bureaucracy. Ok, not related to middle class comparison.

Or, go to a supposed middle class income home and look at the lack of floor space, or maybe they only have one TV. One country I lived in, only had city water at your home for certain hours of the day. High speed internet was not a middle class necessity in some countries. They were lucky to have dial up. One country in South America had one A/C unit in the main bedroom, and that was a middle class earner with an additional side business and his wife working also. I spent plenty of time at that family's home on the weekends. Yes, they had socialized health care, if you want to call it that. My friend in Panama sent his two children to the U.S. for college even though they had finished their "free' college in their own country. It was equivalent to finishing high school here. It was like a junior college, but on a high school level.

Nope, our middle class lives VERY WELL compared to other countries. But, I will bet there will be someone on here that will dispute my comment, by telling me about some place that has some better deal. We'll see, won't we? I know that I am grateful to be here in the U.S. of A. and also to be able to afford to retire modestly.