Things are cheap in America? Check again

[PCBudgetSolutions]

Everyone complains how things are soo cheap in the US and Canada but lets take a look. AUS>USD is .91:1

A GTX 780 costs about 750 in AUS, and 650 in USD.  The conversion puts a GTX 780 in AUS to about 673 USD.  But here's the kicker, AUS min wage over 21 is $16.37 which is 14.79 USD, where our minimum wage is 7.25/hour.  So AUS has TWICE the minimum wage, yet their products costs pennies more?  Their cost of living is HIGHER in the city, but it seems everything else is either less or about the same as USD.

 

Let's look at the Swedish Dollar.  It equal's 19/hour USD, so roughly 124.79/hr KR. 

According to the other thread, an I5-3570K costs 1745kr which divide by the conversion is 265 USD.  Now factor in their minimum wage divide 265 by 2.62 (19/7.25)=101 USD in real world conversion.  Why can't we have things this cheap???\

EDIT: Comparing AUS to us:

 

Cost of living aside, average wages in other countries are generally higher, but after the conversions things are far cheaper in many scenarios.

 

EX: GTX 780

USD: 650

AUS: 750 (673 USD)

23 bucks more.  My buddy at McDonalds makes 7.25/hr=1,160/month before healthcare taxes etc 

Friend works at McDonalds in AUS makes 16.23/hr(14.79 USD)=2366(USD) before taxes

For all intents and purposes, lets assume healthcare and taxes are 50% of wages.

2366/2=1183

1160/2=580

This is all converted to USD

1183-673=510

580-650= (-70)

 

Case and point, cost of living maybe higher, but electronics are still cheaper in average wages earned vs cost. AUS makes 2-2.2 times more than USD, but pays 5% more for electronics.  If cost of living scaled equally to be 2-2.2 times more than america, then a GTX 780 shuld cost 1300-1400 USD over in AUS, but it costs 673 USD in AUS.

 

 

[Samdb]

I think you may be over thinking this.

[rustikles]

It costs money to be the universal police force. We just can't get a higher minimum wage.

[PCBudgetSolutions]

I think you may be over thinking this.

Not really.  When converted the currency based on cost of living and minimum wage, everything is FAR cheaper everywhere else basically.

[PCBudgetSolutions]

It costs money to be the universal police force. We just can't get a higher minimum wage.

What country?

EDIT: Looked it up, Sweden doesn't have a defined min wage, but 120-125 seems to be the norm, and even kids make at least 100kr/hour.

[Nertballs]

i think the biggest problem here is that 'the grass is always greener on the other side!' 

 

Just do what i do, i live in ireland, but bring my aunt to bring home any tech stuff! best of both worlds! :D

[Lukiose]

Except that i highly doubt the majority of people - you included, work at the minimum wage...

And i think you underestimate their cost of living, i visited Perth/Melbourne Australia once and i could immediately tell that these people don't pay a dollar for a hamburger, just saying.

P.S: And if you wanna argue, my country of residence Singapore has no minimum wage. Supermarket cashiers/Mcdonalds Part-timers usually get around SGD$5.00-6.00 per hour which translates to USD$3.93 - 4.71.

Like Nertballs said, 'the grass is always greener on the other side!'

 

But tbh, America has the majority of things cheaper than everywhere else so you should zip on this one, electronics included. :/

[Samdb]

Not really.  When converted the currency based on cost of living and minimum wage, everything is FAR cheaper everywhere else basically.

What is it for the UK? We have stupidly high import and tax.

[rustikles]

What country?

EDIT: Looked it up, Sweden doesn't have a defined min wage, but 120-125 seems to be the norm, and even kids make at least 100kr/hour.

US, sorry. Just compare it to Canada. With all that money spent on "fighting drugs and communism" put towards something else, I can't imagine how much better off things might be. Then again, it might all go to hell. Who knows!

[PCBudgetSolutions]

Except that i highly doubt the majority of people - you included, work at the minimum wage...

And i think you underestimate their cost of living, i visited Perth/Melbourne Australia once and i could immediately tell that these people don't pay a dollar for a hamburger, just saying.

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/national-minimum-wage/pages/default.aspx

 

Aus Min wage.

 

Majority of our country makes less than 10/hr which is about 11/hr AUS.  I make 736/month being unemployed after losing my job.  Which is LESS than min wage.  Also a dollar hamburger here doesn't exist much anymore.  Cost of living across Aus outside the cities is about 1.6 times higher, while your min wage is more than twice ours.  However, Melbourne/Sidney is VERY expensive to live in.  Also factor in, we see 20% income tax, and another 20% deducted from our paychcecks for healthcare, SSI, medicare, local tax, occupational tax etc.

[PCBudgetSolutions]

US, sorry. Just compare it to Canada. With all that money spent on "fighting drugs and communism" put towards something else, I can't imagine how much better off things might be. Then again, it might all go to hell. Who knows!

Canada is pretty much on the same level as us.

 

What is it for the UK? We have stupidly high import and tax.

But if you buy in the UK, there is no import tax.  And we lose about 40% of our paycheck due to taxes and such ontop of that.

[Lukiose]

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/national-minimum-wage/pages/default.aspx

 

Aus Min wage.

 

Majority of our country makes less than 10/hr which is about 11/hr AUS.  I make 736/month being unemployed after losing my job.  Which is LESS than min wage.  Also a dollar hamburger here doesn't exist much anymore.  Cost of living across Aus outside the cities is about 1.6 times higher, while your min wage is more than twice ours.  However, Melbourne/Sidney is VERY expensive to live in.  Also factor in, we see 20% income tax, and another 20% deducted from our paychcecks for healthcare, SSI, medicare, local tax, occupational tax etc.

Err, i live in Singapore dude, and for an objective point of view from an outsider check out my edited comment up tops.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

The reason why our minimum wage is so high is because we pay 45-65% in taxes. So think again.

[ConfusedDolphin]

I don’t think a higher minimum wage is a good justification for arbitrarily raising prices; especially when you’re looking at things like digital content.

[Lamb]

I live in Canada and minimum wage here is $10.00...

 

EDIT: Maybe minimum wage is different in different parts of the country.

[Dave :)]

Not really.  When converted the currency based on cost of living and minimum wage, everything is FAR cheaper everywhere else basically.

 

Please tell me you're joking. You've compared the US prices to 2 other countries.  What about UK minimum wage and UK cost of living? That's just one other country which complete contradicts what you're saying.

 

But if you buy in the UK, there is no import tax.  And we lose about 40% of our paycheck due to taxes and such ontop of that.

 

 

VAT. That is all.

[PCBudgetSolutions]

The reason why our minimum wage is so high is because we pay 45-65% in taxes. So think again.

As do we and we have to pay for healthcare.

[Guest GRRigger]

try average wage then

[PCBudgetSolutions]

Please tell me you're joking. You've compared the US prices to 2 other countries.  What about UK minimum wage and UK cost of living? That's just one other country which complete contradicts what you're saying.

UK min wage is still higher than ours.  Where I live an 1800 square foot house is about 250k.  Other places it's HALF that.  UK cost of living is hard to pinpoint across several different countries. You guys also don't get taxed 40%+healthcare costs.

[Lukiose]

As do we and we have to pay for healthcare.

So does 99% of the world, please, before you start ranting about how 'expensive' shit in America is, consider the other 195 countries that is well, Not the glorious United States of A and maybe you'll see a different light.

I think i said enough

[PCBudgetSolutions]

Please tell me you're joking. You've compared the US prices to 2 other countries.  What about UK minimum wage and UK cost of living? That's just one other country which complete contradicts what you're saying.

 

 

VAT. That is all.

http://www.businessinsider.com/minimum-wage-europe-2011-2

Other than Portugal, the US has the LOWEST min wage of all 1st world countries.  Assuming Min wage hasn't gone up in other places, ours has not since 2007.

[SteepGnomeKing]

If you are on minimum wage and your buying a 780 you don't have your priorities straight. That's all I'm going to say.

[Hoppa]

Australia don't do tips

 

EDIT: We have terrible shipping prices so sometimes it's a lot cheaper to ship something that's like 13,000km away than 1,000km away.

Variety - We have not even a quarter the amount to choose from in some areas.

 

Most of the time I complain because Australia don't have anything.

 

But yeah, as stated before, the grass is always greener on the other side.

[PCBudgetSolutions]

So does 99% of the world, please, before you start ranting about how 'expensive' shit in America is, consider the other 195 countries that is well, Not the glorious United States of A and maybe you'll see a different light.

I think i said enough

Glorious state? Rofl I wish, we have a dictator about to take over our country, the poor get everything here, the middle class gets SCREWED, and the rich are investing elsewhere.  Give us 10 years and we will become a 3rd world country.  48% of our country is below the national poverty line and it's climbing.

[Hans Christian | Teri]

As do we and we have to pay for healthcare.

 

Healthcare is not free in Denmark. Or well it is, but it is so horrid that many people choose to buy insurances that grants them a spot at a private hospital so they don't have to sit around for 2 years just for a diagnosis.