
Which is better to live in - USA or UK?
Which is better to live in - USA or UK?
Answering as someone who has lived in UK (1 year) and USA (3 years now) but is not a native of any of these 2 countries.
Public Transport - UK has better public transport than USA, In the USA it is very difficult to manage without a car. I lived for a year in UK (Reading) and never felt the need to buy one. I could get a bus every 10 minutes to town center from (literally) any neighborhood.
Indian Restaurants - UK has authentic Indian (Pakistani) restaurants in almost all cities (I have been to). In the USA unless you are in NYC, Bay Area, Philadelphia, Huston, Dallas or some other metropolitan you would not find authentic desi food.
Weather - UK has the best of summers on the planet. Winters are bit too much for someone from India. USA is very big geographically so one can experience totally different weather depending on where he / she lives in the country. In bay area it is very pleasant round the year (except couple of months in winters when it rains); in east coast spring time is totally worth it.
Places to visit - If you are more into history, architectural building etc. UK is betters. USA has lot of national parks etc. There is no dearth of good places (museums, beaches, university campuses etc.) to see in either of the countries but USA being whole lot bigger geographically you have to have a lot of time (and patience to drive or money to fly) to see the places.
Visiting neighboring countries - For someone who is an alien (non-immigrant) resident UK is definitely better in terms convenience to visit neighboring countries. In UK with Shenzhen visa you can visit (drive / fly or take a cruise) over 25 countries. In USA you can either go to Canada or Mexico both of which require separate visas.
Riding a bus - If you ride a bus in UK driver will (greet you with smile and) provide you with change when you buy ticket. In USA forget about both. I once paid USD 20 for USD 2.5 bus ride.
Renting an apartment - In UK it is very easy to rent a fully furnished apartment. You move in and you dont have to buy bed, mattress or other basic furniture. In the USA as far as I know you only get dishwasher, refrigerator etc. in rented unit (no furniture) - unless you are renting an in-law unit.
Cost of Living - Electronics goods are cheaper in USA, Indian groceries are cheaper in UK, rent depends on city you live in. Overall they look same to me.
Attire and Dressing - People in UK dress very formally and are very conscious about how they carry themselves. I had a house mate (white male) he would wear a blazer and tie when he went out for drinks with his friends. He wore ironed t-shirt for gym.
In office people dresses very formally - leather shoes, ironed shirts / trousers, gelled hair. In USA (espl . in Bay Area) I had people in my team wearing Capri shorts, crocs and what not. I like USA in that sense.
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