We Americans complain about being taxed so much (but seriously, 20% for the working class ain't a lot) yet I hear lots of stories about the ridiculous costs of things overseas. I was reading here that the cost of Dragonskin Silicone in Australia is approx one arm, three toes, and your firstborn child lol jk...but almost not. I can't imagine many things *not* being imported to Australia. Also I hear Sydney is way more expensive to live in than New York City, and most normal people in the US can't afford to live there. But if I'm not mistaken the average wage is higher where you are, although I'm not sure if a $9-12/hr job helps much with a $60 cute normal hair clip from Amazon XD>{