Does anyone prefer life in the UK to the US?

Despite the fact that I haven't been able to find a job for almost a year, I do prefer it for many of the same reasons others have listed. If I had been in the same position in the US, I would have been screwed in terms of healthcare. That is one major factor.

A lot of it does depend on where you live. I was living in an area much like what Bluegrass Lass described, and I hated it. If we were still there, I don't know if I would have as many positive feelings.

I loved living in the West End of Glasgow, and I love living out here in the middle of nowhere now. The transportation is limited (1 bus, once an hour and a 60 minute train ride to Glasgow), but there are so many other fantastic things about being out here that I don't mind all that much. Plus it will be easily remedied once I get driving.

Plus, my US life was completely different to here. I was working a crap job, living with roommates in my Pop-Pop's rundown old house, and not really sure what the heck I was doing with my life. I moved here, got a masters, and feel like I have infinitely more possibilities (in life in general, despite the employment situation) and a heck of a lot more direction. 

I was thinking just yesterday how much I missed local sandwich shops - hoagies/subs/whatever they call them in any particular corner of the US. Every city, heck every neighborhood, I ever lived in back in the States always had a mom & pop sandwich shop or two where you could get a sub and a pack of Lays. Subway doesn't really count.  

That just reminded me of Thundercloud Subs.  Oh yeah!

I have a great life here! I'd prefer to have more spending money and actually be able to afford a property(more importantly a rural croft, my illusive dream!!), but I have amazing friends (though I also have amazing friends in the US!) and do so much and have so much fun. But 'home' to me, is anywhere I hang my hat and life is what I make of it, so I'm easy-peasy!

Our village has been bumped out of the weekly rider zone into the Mega rider area, doubling our fares (£12 to £24....which is £48 a month extra....times two for wife and I). Almost at the tipping point for buying a car. And here I thought Cambs was trying to cut congestion. Meanwhile Stagecoach owners pay themselves £15 million bonus. No it ain't perfect. 

When I was working I was paying £73 a month for a monthly pass (but this got me on all buses, trams and trains in Sheffield)

When I moved here in 2005, a weekly pass on First was £12, now its almost £20

I am more at peace.

That's exactly it.


However, I shall have to leave the peace of my cottage and venture my first solo bus ride ... this week?  
Back to reality and time to quit being a hermit.

When I was working I was paying £73 a month for a monthly pass (but this got me on all buses, trams and trains in Sheffield)

When I moved here in 2005, a weekly pass on First was £12, now its almost £20

That's just for the local bus though, no trains.  I'm also in Cambs luckily my village is close enough to a P&R and not one of the ones that have become totally cut off.

I've been in the UK for almost 6 1/2 years now.  The longer I'm here the more I realize that life in the States wasn't all that bad. 
While I wasn't thrilled to be living in the Houston area MrRed5 had a great job that was much less stressful for him-and he made good money.  We had better than average health care, a 4 bedroom house, and were able to save for retirement.

We were here for 5 years before we could afford a house.  MrRed5 works long hours and it is taking a toll on him.   For the most part I'm pleased with the NHS but it is not perfect by any means.  We are able to put a bit aside for retirement, but not nearly as much as we should.  I've only been back to the States once since we moved over as we just can't afford the airfare, rental car, and extended stay hotel.  Unlike most people on here I do not have family that has the room for us to stay with them. 
So in hindsight, it would have been better for us to move away from Houston-but not move away from the States.   

Yes, BD's husband lives here in Leeds - there's lots & lots of buses, not always on time or reliable, but they do generally come often.  Plus trains as well.

Yeah, DH has complained that the bus to Jimmy's that went down our street has been changed so not very convenient now.  And the buses down to town can be slow and crowded (but so would driving!)  Otherwise, it's Shank's Mare to the local shops.

But he and DS managed to get to Holy Island via taxis and train to Berwick (where a friend picked them up).  That is one place where a car would be very useful indeed.

You'd have to take me back to the US kicking and screaming. My life here is GOOD, really good. I have my moments, but overall I wouldnt want to go back there. If we had to leave the UK, would probably move into Europe or east coast of Canada.

I feel the exact same way. I would probably never move back to the US. I love where I'm from (Boulder, Colorado) and would love to live there, but realistically we couldn't end up there due to the lack of work opportunities in our industries. My husband is in oil and the places we could move in the US are places I'd never go (Texas and Louisiana). I love living in Edinburgh and would hate to leave here, but I'm going to have to in a few months. It's funny that you said you'd move to the east coast of Canada, because that's where I'm moving. It's so beautiful there and it seems like there's a huge focus on the outdoors, which is what I grew up with, so I can't wait to get back to that. I love city living, and Scotland is beautiful, but I'm ready for beautiful, untouched wilderness.
There are things I dislike about the UK, including the lack of work opportunities. You'd think someone with an impressive educational and work background would have no problem finding work, but it has been impossible. I was making a very good salary in the US, and after arriving here I found out that even with the exchange rate, I would only be making half of what I was making before. I'm hoping Canada has better opportunities for me.
I hadn't been in the US for 3 years and went back to visit some friends and family in Chicago earlier this year. I felt so unwelcome as soon as I arrived at immigration, with an immigration official on a power trip that was hurling personal insults at me and a homeless woman trying to attack me once I was in the city. Seeing my friends was great, but it wasn't enough to make me want to go back. The entire time I was in the country I felt out of place and really didn't enjoy being there; I couldn't wait to get back home! I went back more recently to Colorado and it was a completely different experience that made me really miss the US. Everyone was friendly, including the immigration official who said "Welcome home!", the weather was fantastic, the food was amazing and the focus on the outdoors was something I really missed. However, after returning to the UK and thinking about having 10 days of holiday each year and dealing with American politics (the campaign commercials drive me crazy!) made me really appreciate being back here.
I think the US is just a place I'll visit, but will never be home again. With my husband's job, we're going to be moving all over the world for the next 20 years or so, and I think we'll always consider Scotland to be home, and it will be where we come back to when we retire.

I definitely prefer some aspects of life here in the U.K. vs the U.S.  I enjoy the fact that despite not living in a huge city, we can still live completely carless here, with walking to the grocery store, being able to pop down to the corner shop for a newspaper and milk, walking my child to school or to the neighborhood park. After spending over 8 years in a completely car-dependent location in Texas prior to our move abroad, it is so nice not to have to worry about having a car. We are so, SO much more healthy here as well...and I'm sure that's a direct result of walking everywhere.

As a long-term location, I don't know. My family is still in the States, and as long as my parents are still alive, my heart will be over there.