Hot water on demand, well-maintained roads, reliable healthcare, and even a well-stocked grocery store are all things many of us consider part of day-to-day life. We don’t see them as particularly special because they’re usually easily available. For lots of people around the world, though, even one of those would feel like hitting the jackpot.
So when one Redditor asked users to share what Americans consider “basic” that feels like a luxury in other countries, people came through with plenty of answers. We’ve gathered some of the most eye-opening ones below. Scroll down to read them and share your thoughts in the comments.
#1
Kind of eye opening but our new engineering intern is from Ghana on some sort of lottery work/study visa. He basically reminds me everyday of something that he thinks is amazing that I have taken for granted most of my life. Hot water, garbage pickup, technology, internet service, food availability, healthcare technology, all the different types of cool shoes and nice clothes, the list goes on and on.
“When I got to New York I got picked up in a car to go to a hotel. The car was the most beautiful car I had ever rode in, but when I got to the hotel room.., man… THAT was the most beautiful room I had ever seen.” - Quote from him about arriving in America.
“When I got to New York I got picked up in a car to go to a hotel. The car was the most beautiful car I had ever rode in, but when I got to the hotel room.., man… THAT was the most beautiful room I had ever seen.” - Quote from him about arriving in America.
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27points
#2
As someone who grew up in a developing country, I think one thing that we take for granted here is PEACE OF MIND.
It's hard to put in words how substantial and consequential it can be. It is all consuming.
When you go to the grocery store here and buy a pack of flour, it's clean and ready to use and you know it's safe. We had to clean everything we used, rice had rocks in them, flour had bugs in them, etc. We also didn't always know if it was safe. It was kind of known that manufacturer often put ground bricks in powdered red pepper, to give you an example.
From clean running water, to safe roads, to not being scammed at every corner- whether by corrupt individuals at every step of the ladder or by anyone you ever do business with (normal shopping, contractors, medical providers, etc.), it truly is a luxury to have peace of mind. .
It's hard to put in words how substantial and consequential it can be. It is all consuming.
When you go to the grocery store here and buy a pack of flour, it's clean and ready to use and you know it's safe. We had to clean everything we used, rice had rocks in them, flour had bugs in them, etc. We also didn't always know if it was safe. It was kind of known that manufacturer often put ground bricks in powdered red pepper, to give you an example.
From clean running water, to safe roads, to not being scammed at every corner- whether by corrupt individuals at every step of the ladder or by anyone you ever do business with (normal shopping, contractors, medical providers, etc.), it truly is a luxury to have peace of mind. .
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23points
#3
Nobody fully appreciates Western style plumbing until they visit a place without it. My water is hot when I turn on the tap, I can drink water straight from the tap, and our toilets can handle nearly anything reasonable being flushed.
Edit because a lot of people are missing my point. It’s not that there isn’t acceptable or even better plumbing elsewhere in the world. American plumbing feels like a luxury to a *significant* portion of the world, yet it is almost universally standard here. I can flush toilet paper, take a 45 minute steaming hot shower, and drink as much water as I want. Go ask the average person in most of the world if that seems *luxurious* to them, and they will almost certainly say yes.
Edit because a lot of people are missing my point. It’s not that there isn’t acceptable or even better plumbing elsewhere in the world. American plumbing feels like a luxury to a *significant* portion of the world, yet it is almost universally standard here. I can flush toilet paper, take a 45 minute steaming hot shower, and drink as much water as I want. Go ask the average person in most of the world if that seems *luxurious* to them, and they will almost certainly say yes.
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21points
#5
Disability infrastructure
Nearly every public building and space is handicap accessible. Australia is decent too. Europe and Asia is trying to catch up with newly built buildings, but so much of their cities are so old that it's not feasible to retrofit them with wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms
Nearly every public building and space is handicap accessible. Australia is decent too. Europe and Asia is trying to catch up with newly built buildings, but so much of their cities are so old that it's not feasible to retrofit them with wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms
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14points
#8
Wild animals just standing around. My old partner used to work in Nigeria. One of his Nigerian colleagues was visiting Philadelphia and was astonished to see Canadian geese in the park in the middle of the city. "What are they doing there? That's food!".
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14points
#9
An basic American grocery store in some countries would be a luxurious experience.
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12points
#10
Driving ettequite.
People in the US complain about how their city/region/state has -the worst- drivers and traffic and will remark about how "unsafe" roads are here.
Having been to other countries I can safely say that US drivers and roads are positively benign.
When you drive in East Asia, South East Asia, and even parts of Europe... you are entering into a real life "Madmax" / "Frogger" situation.
People in the US complain about how their city/region/state has -the worst- drivers and traffic and will remark about how "unsafe" roads are here.
Having been to other countries I can safely say that US drivers and roads are positively benign.
When you drive in East Asia, South East Asia, and even parts of Europe... you are entering into a real life "Madmax" / "Frogger" situation.
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10points
#12
Cheap gasoline.
We’re hurting right now at $5 a gallon.
At current exchange rates, that’s 98p a liter. The UK would have a parade over gas prices that cheap.
We’re hurting right now at $5 a gallon.
At current exchange rates, that’s 98p a liter. The UK would have a parade over gas prices that cheap.
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10points
#13
Window screens. Even in rural areas of France next to fields and rivers/ streams it seems that window screens are rare. Open a window to get fresh air and the place is filled with insects.
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10points
#14
Drinkable water in your home, available at any time, without the need to visit the community pump/well and wait in line.
By "drinkable" I mean - somewhat safe to consume for hydration, but either requiring an hour to boil and cool or literally ingesting soil or sand, along with billions of microbes in the ground water.
By "drinkable" I mean - somewhat safe to consume for hydration, but either requiring an hour to boil and cool or literally ingesting soil or sand, along with billions of microbes in the ground water.
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9points
#15
Multiple bathrooms. The median US home has 2.25 bathrooms with new constructions having an average of 2.6. In comparison, the average Australian home at best will have one shared bathroom and a ensuite for the master bedroom.
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8points
#16
Free public toilets
Free refills at restaurants
Ice in your drink
Air Conditioning
Giant stores like Walmart or Target.
Free refills at restaurants
Ice in your drink
Air Conditioning
Giant stores like Walmart or Target.
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8points
#17
Handicapped accessibility.
Seriously, if you travel, you will quickly realize that just assuming that wheelchairs, strollers, etc can go basically wherever does not hold up in much of the world.
Seriously, if you travel, you will quickly realize that just assuming that wheelchairs, strollers, etc can go basically wherever does not hold up in much of the world.
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7points
#18
What countries are we talking about here?
People saying sitting toilets and clean water are thinking about very specific countries and regions.
I honestly think that cheap gas is probably to the best answer and maybe multi bathroom households.
People saying sitting toilets and clean water are thinking about very specific countries and regions.
I honestly think that cheap gas is probably to the best answer and maybe multi bathroom households.
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6points
#19
I've never understood why so many European windows don't have insect screens. It's not like there are no bugs!
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6points
#20
I’m not American, but I can answer from my POV - how accessible everything is.
I constantly see videos and reels of Americans who visit my country (New Zealand) and complain how far away things are, or how stores close at certain times, or how public holidays affect operating hours, or how certain products or brands aren’t sold here.
I’ve also lived in the US and literally everything was available the minute I wanted it. Most stores or malls were a five minute drive away, nothing was ever closed unless it was super late at night, even then you could often find a 24 hour version if you really needed to.
While it would be nice to have everything accessible when I wanted it (a luxury, I guess), I’m kind of glad we don’t have that option. It makes for impatient and lazy people with little respect for customer service workers.
I constantly see videos and reels of Americans who visit my country (New Zealand) and complain how far away things are, or how stores close at certain times, or how public holidays affect operating hours, or how certain products or brands aren’t sold here.
I’ve also lived in the US and literally everything was available the minute I wanted it. Most stores or malls were a five minute drive away, nothing was ever closed unless it was super late at night, even then you could often find a 24 hour version if you really needed to.
While it would be nice to have everything accessible when I wanted it (a luxury, I guess), I’m kind of glad we don’t have that option. It makes for impatient and lazy people with little respect for customer service workers.
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6points