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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5points
#2
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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5points
#4
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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4points
#5
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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4points
#6
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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4points
#7
An basic American grocery store in some countries would be a luxurious experience.
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4points
#9
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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4points
#10
Great clothes dryers that completely dry a full load of clothes in approximately 20 minutes.
Even I still think that’s amazing.
Even I still think that’s amazing.
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3points
#11
Little things that are pretty ubiquitous in the US but rare in even more developed countries: garbage disposal, automatic garage door openers, somewhat dishwashers.
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3points
#14
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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3points
#15
Water heaters...at least the big whole house ones.
When I visited my wife's family in Thailand for the first time, I was surprised that they only had a small electric water heater for the shower. It also felt sort of sketchy to have something electric in the shower. .
When I visited my wife's family in Thailand for the first time, I was surprised that they only had a small electric water heater for the shower. It also felt sort of sketchy to have something electric in the shower. .
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3points
#16
I live in Arizona. Air conditioning is essential for life. I definitely don't set it at 74. I kind of like it set at 81 or 82 f.
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3points
#18
The size of US homes and refrigerators are on average much larger than any place I visited outside the US. Which is over 200 countries/territories/etc.
I traveled a lot with my grandfather outside the US. My grandfather was a Spanish folk musician, guitar maker and educator. We traveled A LOT. Often, we stayed at people's homes overnight while traveling.
I remember going to Belgium when I was around 17 or so. The whole family- mom, dad, 2 kids, grandma, mom's brother; lived in a house together where my personal bedroom back in Chicago was larger than their kitchen & dining room combined.
The fridge was only slightly larger than my personal beverage refrigerator next to bed back home.
This was supposedly a "well-off" family and that was why they volunteered to host my grandfather and me.
That was just Belgium though. Japan, France, Germany (no A/C W*F?), Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Sudan, Egypt... tiny, tiny, tiny living spaces.
In fairness, I am a six foot tall dude.
I traveled a lot with my grandfather outside the US. My grandfather was a Spanish folk musician, guitar maker and educator. We traveled A LOT. Often, we stayed at people's homes overnight while traveling.
I remember going to Belgium when I was around 17 or so. The whole family- mom, dad, 2 kids, grandma, mom's brother; lived in a house together where my personal bedroom back in Chicago was larger than their kitchen & dining room combined.
The fridge was only slightly larger than my personal beverage refrigerator next to bed back home.
This was supposedly a "well-off" family and that was why they volunteered to host my grandfather and me.
That was just Belgium though. Japan, France, Germany (no A/C W*F?), Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Sudan, Egypt... tiny, tiny, tiny living spaces.
In fairness, I am a six foot tall dude.
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3points
#19
I’m not American; I’m Scottish, but could having a garbage disposal and a massive fridge possibly be seen as basic in the U.S. but a luxury in other countries? I wish I had the space in my flat for a big American fridge, but I don’t think I would use a garbage disposal.
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3points
#20
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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3points