Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-30
AM E RIG MS ABROAD
A Comparison of the Cost of Living in
This Country and Europa
Mistaken Notions About Expenses In
q Land Where Economy
IL Respected.

Francis B. Loomis In Lippincott's for May.
The belief. SO widely disseminated in the
United States, that the cost Of living is
much cheaper in Europe is no longer war
ranted by facts nor borne out by expert
ence. I am speaking of the cost Of food.
rent, clothing, amusements for people who
have small incomes; and take for a basis
family of four with an income of s., 600.
To a trained observer of great intelli-
gence, who has resided with his family in
Europe for a period Of twelve years, I Put
the question, Do you find the cost OF living
well cheaper in Europe than in America?
II have lived" said he, sin five European
countries. and may say. In the first place.
that, as a rule. the days of cheap living,
except in remote localities far from the
lines of travel. are long since past The
cost of living. / find, varies very much in
different European countries and among
different cities of the same country Mar
settles is more expensive than Paris. Frank
fort-on-the-Main is more expensive than
Munich or Leipsic, Amsterdam is more
costly than Brussels. while Aix-ia-Chapelle
is dearer than either Paris or Berlin.
There are small. duh and unattractive
places in France. Germany and Italy where
one may live cheaply If one he content
10 live, ike TIE H1tlNess III pare, lsl-IuTulSn-
ed rooms. eat black bread and have meat
on the table but once a day. Few persons
would care to live thus however
Family Expenses.
Respectable living for a family. as
Americans understand that term, is a little
more expensive in Europe than In Amer
lea. In other words. II you want to live
quite as well abroad as you do at home,
1t will cost you more. Service, cabs ard
some articles of clothing are cheaper
Rents are about the same in corresponding
localities, but abroad the houses are less
convenient. Cotton goods are cheaper In
America than abroad, shoes and clothing
are cheaper in Europe, but, rs n rule,
the shoes are much inferior in quality.
A family living on 5000 a year can have
q better return for its money in Paris than
in any other large city in Europe, provided
always that some of its members speak
the language well and can make bargains
and practice economy. like French people
of the middle class. II one wishes TO live
In a fashionable quarter in Paris life will
be found SO 1-2 per cent dearer than in any
American city except New York
Railway fares, unless one travels in
slow trains and miserably In thlrd-c,ass
cars, are more expensive in Europe than
in the United States and the at. ommoda-
ton is inferior. For sleeping-Sar berth
from Paris to Nice one pays $1S; In Amer
lea one may travel from New York to Chi
for IS.
Life in good European hotels costs as
much as 1t does in good hotels in America,
but travellers may be independent and get
cheap accommodation in third-class hotels
IL they like; they will be badly lodged and
fed. Open-air music. beer, wines and COM
mon cigars cost less in Europe than in
America, but good theaters, a 1rst-class
opera and excellent cigars are quite as
expensive abroad as at home.
Servants wages are lower here. but ex-
perience proves that one good American
servant does the work Of two Europeans
and does 1t more simply and neatly.
Street-car fares are about the same in
Europe as in America. Many medicines
such as quinine, for instance, are very
much dearer.
Where Economy fs Respected.
The real difference in favor Of Europe is
that one may. If one chooses, adjust the
standard of living to ones income Econ
omy is respected in Europe and is con-
sidered respectable whereas In America
this il not always the case In Europe