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Happiness -

According to the United Nations' World Happiness Report released in 2024, Americans are significantly happier than Russians based on a number of factors, including social support and freedom. Indeed, the US ranked 23rd of 143 countries, while Russia was only 72nd.

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Population density -

In terms of population density, Russia is certainly the better option. Not only is it the biggest country in the world, but its current density sits at about 21 people for every square mile (eight for every sq km). This compares well to the US, which has 91 people per sq mile (35 per sq km).

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Climate and geography -

Between sunny beaches and snowy mountains, the US offers a diverse climate. Russia, with its vast territory, also has a diverse climate, but is known for its harsh winters, particularly in Siberia. For those preferring milder climates and geographic variety, the US is a far better option.

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Income -

On a monthly basis, working residents in the United States receive a lot more income than those in Russia. Indeed, the average monthly salary in the US sits at around US$4,482, while Russians earn $806.

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Housing -

Although residents of the US earn high salaries on average, their cost of living is also rather exorbitant. The monthly rental value of a one-bedroom apartment in the city center in the US is about US$1,763, while Russians only pay $405.

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Goods and services -

Russians also pay significantly less for goods and services. For a mid-range bottle of wine, residents can look to pay around US$5.56, while Americans would need to pay about $15.66.

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Taxis -

Based on the average monthly salary for each of the countries, Russia and the US are almost identical in how they can afford taxis. Residents in the US would be able to travel 52.2 mi (84 km) on a day’s wages, while Russians can travel 50.3 mi (81 km).

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Public transportation -

Russian public transportation is far better than that in the United States. The cost of a single ride on public transport in the Russian capital city of Moscow is about US$0.71, while residents of Washington, D.C. can pay up to $4.50.

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More bang for your buck -

Don’t let these numbers fool you! If you take purchasing power into account, Americans can actually buy more with their dollars than Russians can with their rubles. But money isn’t the only factor when it comes to a country’s livability.

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Equality for women -

The gender gap also has a significant influence on a country’s happiness. In the United States, the number of women in the House of Representatives is currently 128 of 435 members, which is a record so far. In Russia, however, there are only 100 women out of 450 members of the State Duma.

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Wage equality -

In the US, women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man makes, but Russian women earn only 76 cents for every dollar a man earns. The US is currently the 43rd best country for gender equality, while Russia is 71st.

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Domestic violence -

Russia does not have legislation put in place to address domestic violence, while the United States does. In fact, 2017 saw Russia introduce legislation known as the “slapping law,” which decriminalized many types of violence in the home.

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Vacation days - In the US, paid leave is entirely at the discretion of the employer, but there are no federal laws in place to enforce minimum paid vacation days. On average, employers offer eight days. In Russia, employees receive 28 days of paid leave.

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Public holidays -

Similar to vacation days, there is no federal law in the US that offers paid public holidays to employees. Russia, however, provides 14 days annually. The US is the only developed nation on the planet that doesn’t guarantee paid time off work.

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Healthcare -

Unlike the United States, Russia offers universal healthcare to its citizens, although the quality of healthcare is incredibly low, which means most people pay out of pocket for treatment. Their healthcare ranking sits at 84, while the US sits at 69.

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Life expectancy -

The United States also has better life expectancy compared to Russia, where males are expected to live to 76, and females to the age of 80. In Russia, males have a life expectancy of 67, and females are expected to live to 77.

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Hospitals -

Alongside universal healthcare, Russians also have more hospital beds than the US. For every 10,000 people, Russian hospitals have 70 beds, while US hospitals only have 27.

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Physicians -

Interestingly, Russians have more physicians than the US, with about 40.1 physicians for every 10,000 people. By comparison, the US only has 26.1.

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Health spending -

In 2023, the United States spent about 16.6% of its overall GDP on healthcare, which amounted to about US$4.54 trillion. Russians only spent 7.4% of their GDP on healthcare, which came to $149.6 billion.

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Maternity leave -

In the United States, mothers who have given birth are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, while Russians are afforded 20 weeks, fully paid by the state.

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Paternity leave - Although Russian mothers receive leave after the birth of a child, fathers do not and must instead make use of annual leave. Similar to mothers, the US offers 12 weeks of unpaid paternity leave.

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LGBTQ+ rights -

LGBTQ+ rights are practically non-existent in Russia, where only 8% of the population accepts homosexuality. This is a massive contrast to the 70% who accept it in the United States.

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Same-sex marriage -

Only 5% of the Russian population accepts same-sex marriage, while this number jumps to 62% in the United States. Russia’s conservative views (alongside Putin’s political stance) has made this gap even bigger over recent years.

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National laws and the LGBTQ+ community -

While same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption are legal in the Unites States, the Russian Federation is vehemently against it. Indeed, the country has instigated many laws over the years that have actually irreparably harmed LGBTQ+ individuals.

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Intentional homicides -

Crime rates in the United States are significantly higher compared to Russia, but not when it comes to murder. The US experiences about 6.4 intentional homicides per 100,000 people, while Russia experiences 6.8 (this figure has actually gone down by almost double in recent years).

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Domestic burglaries -

In the United States, there are a shocking 271 domestic burglaries per 100,000 people, while Russia only experiences about 95.

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Assault -

Assault is also another aspect in which the US far exceeds Russia. Per 100,000 people, the country experiences 281 cases of assault, whereas Russia reports a mere 13.

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Theft of cars -

For every 100,000 people in the US, 291 cars are stolen, while 22 cars are stolen in the Russian Federation. However, it’s also important to note that the US has approximately 282 million vehicles, while Russia only has about 60 million.

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Religious freedom -

The US strongly upholds religious freedom, allowing individuals to practice any religion or none without fear of persecution. Russia, while also officially supporting religious freedom, has been criticized for favoring the Russian Orthodox Church and restricting other religious practices.

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In the end -

By comparing multiple factors between the United States and the Russian Federation, it becomes clear that living in the United States is objectively better. While Russia does have certain positives, the US in contrast is a significant improvement overall.

Sources: (CNN) (The World Happiness Report) (Numbeo) (The World Economic Forum) (World Health Organization) (United Nations)

See also: The 30 happiest countries in the world (the US isn't in the top 20)

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