I'm Southern European and i lived in two different European countries. I'm currently in France and it fucking sucks.
Just because it's better than the US doesn't mean it's good.
Minimum wage has gone up 20 per cent (from 6 to 8€ an hour) since the 2000's, rent has gone up 124 per cent per meter square. It's so hard to find a good place for less than a thousand.
Parking spaces make more than actual workers.
Young individuals cannot find jobs because every single one requires some sort of experience, while offering minimum wage.
A full time job is 40h a week, so no time for anything.
Most bosses I've come across are just as entitled, out of touch and greedy.
I see disabled people penhandling in the streets because the help they get doesn't cover rent or necessities.
I've seen kids penhandling as well.
I, as a EU member, with EU citizenship, had to pay for medications because i don't own the specific french health card.
My boyfriend had to give up years of savings because his current landlord asked for 10 months worth of rent just for him to be able to move in and not be homeless.
Paris is just as expensive as NY and has a homelessness problem.
I fucking hate it. It's not as bad as the US but it's getting there.