Tell that to all my co-workers in China where I make 3x what they make. They can barely pay for rent. I'm just lucky that as a foreigner, I had leverage to max out the pay scale (and still getting paid only Chinese-level salary). The economic divide between the rich and poor is just as huge and just a big a concern, especially with the crazy real estate prices in the cities. Common to see 7 university-graduated kids sharing a 40 square metre apartment. I have friends like that.