what does it mean "not poor internally"? I've been to Portugal, compared to US it's just poor. Source for "spend less % on housing, food" ? very much doubt this. Poor in the US get food stamps, etc.
It means you do not have homeless camps in hollywood boulevard next to million dollar penthouses. The income inequality is smaller therefore the variance in income levels is smaller and therefore all prices are down.
Let me give you an example.
Country A is rich. The poorest person has 10$ the richest has 100000$
Country B is poor the poorest person has 1$ the richest person has 5$.
In both country Nestle sells water bottles, they use a formula to maximise profit based on average earnings. On country A a water bottle is 20$ in country B is 0.2$.
Despite the proportional poverty, a poor person in country B can buy 5 water bottles while a poor person on country A can buy 0.
On the most expensive city in Portugal and the only thing cheaper in SF is gasoline, something most people in portugal don't use as much as they walk everywhere.
> Poor in the US get food stamps
Getting vouchers for milk and beans is not helping people. Portugal for example does not have millions of people in jail for minor drug offenses. Portugal does not have medical bankruptcy. Portugal does not have homeless camps in every mayor city.
Also food banks are common everywhere, the only difference is they are usually much broaders and healthier than food stamps and come on top of unemplyment payments, health benefits, and council housing.
> I've been to Portugal
I was born in Spain a few decades ago, I am gonna take my 18 years there over your weekend abroad.
