It's no contest. Our two-week survey has confirmed that despite popular myths, average Canadian families are far better off economically than their American counterparts. Seniors don't buy a lot of appliances, but they need prescription drugs quite often. But ordinary families don't buy these items every day, and fuel prices are only one component of car costs, most of which are pretty similar in the US and Canada. Canadian workers win bronze in gross wages On average, Canadians earn more, take home more, have more public benefits, and pay about the same as or less for almost everything.
Canadian workers rank third in gross wages.
US workers rank seventh. Health care is the most famous item on the list. Although medicare in Canada is suffering from cuts, the cost advantage of Canadians over Americans is still enormous. Most American workers pay for private health insurance through payroll deductions. Yet many also pay hefty fees when they need medical help.