That was part of the whole retail thing that earned us the name 'Rip-Off Britain' a while back. Most consumer goods, including CD's and other low cost items were priced in the UK at double, or in some cases treble (CD's) the cost on the continent.
As people got wise to this rip off they went over to Belgium, ordered a RHD car there and drove it back at a massive discount.

I once argued with a Japanese manufacturer asking how his particular product could sell for two thousand pounds less than in the UK, and they put it down to it being easier and cheaper to ship vehicles to America as it was closer. I then asked why it was then, that Triumph motorcycles, which were made in the UK and shipped all the way to America were also on sale there at 2k less than could be had in the UK?

There was (and still is on some goods) an element of price fixing between the manufacturers being that Britain is a 'captive market' so to speak. Which is why Tesco was recently banned in the high court from selling imported designer jeans at £12.00 a pair. This was the RETAIL cost that they bought them at in the USA, plus a tidy profit, yet it still amounted to just £12.00.

Don't forget that the standard of living are lower in some countries than here hence goods are sold at a lower price. It's all relative really.

Nope, I don't buy that one.

America, Germany, and dare I say it, France Holland and Belgium all now have better standards of living than the UK, yet CD's and the like were always cheaper over there. The only reason UK car prices came down was that people were going to the trouble of buying RHD versions in Belgium, then driving them home and still making a saving of a couple of grand.

If someone working in London now gets X amount wages per month more than someone in Newcastle, it's usually justified by the 'higher cost of living' argument. That's just for London house prices or rent in the main, if in London you want to buy say household electrical goods from Curry's, food from Asda, or all the usual things that are not rent, then the prices are largely the same.

Well not according to my Uncle who pays his employees a lot less than the equivalent here in the UK. Which is why he went.

But how big are the houses they live in compared to ours? Or the 5 litre V8 cars that they manage to drive on those low wages?

In America stuff is cheap mate, so small wages go further. I speak to yanks on other forums who are just regular guys like Postmen and so on, not in well paid jobs, then they show me their four cars and seven motorcycles in the garage of their house.

Stuff that you would have to pay dearly for here in the UK is not only available, but taken for granted there.

Erm, which is pretty much what I was eluding to - it's relative. I wouldn't say that the whole of the US is on a par either, on trips to S. Carolina & Georgia for instance, the standard of living is WAY below what I see here. A much larger proportion of those living in the mentioned states are living in a trailerhome.

Yep, as is the case in any rural community in most any country.

If there's little work there's little money, that's a given. But the standard of living for those in town who are in some sort of less well paid employment which is similar to that done in the UK is higher, and isn't that why we work - to buy things, to live?

My example of the postman in the UK might drive a small hatchback and own a £150k semi detached house on a new estate maybe? A US postman most probably owns a large(r) detached house, a larger car, (or two) and has many more electrical goods and gadgets than his Brit counterpart. I wouldn't say he works harder for it, as the job is essentially the same, but when even British made goods are cheaper to buy in the US than they are here at home it's no wonder there's a difference in the standard of living. That was my point.

Without getting too involved in what appears to be an argument here I'm pretty certain that most Yanks tend to work much longer hours a week, and their yearly holiday(vacation )entitlement is also much less(about 2wks at the most, when we have over 5wks here). Oh, and we have a better social security system(at the moment), and the NHS. It's swings & roundabouts, innit.

I'll jump out of this conversation now

My 2cv Zebra cost around £2300 in 1989 I seem to recall inc import duty and vat etc.

Nah, no argument dudes (debate maybe!!) - just saying what I've seen/discussed with the people I've met and I'm pretty much talking about places like Atlanta & Charleston, both of which aren't in the country. It wasn't much better on the West Coast where in California, prices do tend to be higher (due to differing state taxes) than, say the midwest but the wages for blue collar workers aren't much different. I can't speak for postal workers, but an equivalent serving member of the US Airforce is paid the equivalent in USD to my GBP.

But as you say Jono, the issue is clouded due to differences in social benefits which is why you see a shed more homeless people in places like Hollywood & Las Vegas even