Raise wages usually followed by raise in other cost too. Here in my country even if wages are raised, the cost of products anywhere raised too. I did not even think the Americans or Europe side would face sort of similar lifestyle to my country. Houses were bought on mortgage loans. People are working their ass off to pay loans and majority could not even pay their houses completely. Imagine that reaching old age 60s and we are still working to pay the houses ... unless we have children to take over the house payment. Even then, now a lot of people have no children after so many years of marriage.