How much money one makes vs the money they actually have available is a tricky subject.
The USA, overall, has a higher quality of life (even for those people living at or below the poverty line) than people in developing nations.
I myself had years where I was living at or below the poverty line, and I come from a background of High-Middle to Low-Upper Class wage earners. (My experiences at both ends of the spectrum have allowed me to have a different perspective on and relationship to money than many of my peers.)
However, many people in in America (and, from what I’ve seen of other nations), like to portray a different picture of their status to the outside world, and will appear to be in a better position than they are. This feeds a cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck at every level except the absolute highest, so someone who makes $80,000 a year may be unable to afford basic necessities, whereas someone who makes $20,000 a year in another part of the world could be the richest person in their village.
You need to take into account the cost of living (room, board, transportation costs, etc) when evaluating salaries.
Also, remember that what people post online on Facebook and Instagram is generally the best version of themselves. Not everyone is willing to show their faults.
For many, the appearance of wealth is the easiest way to hide.
Originally Posted: https://www.quora.com/Is-everyone-on-Quora-incredibly-wealthy-or-can-they-relate-to-the-average-persons-life-economic-situation
Originally Posted On: 2016-03-08