Poorest European Countries/Richest African countries

[Red Velvet]

South Africa may be richer than Moldova, but I would still rather live in Moldova than in South Africa as a random citizen.

There’s no reason for this other than you know what.
Besides economic, there’s not even cultural reason, as SA is way more lively country too. Moldova and some other European countries (including some of the rich) just look depressing as hell.

[Red Velvet]

South Africa may be richer than Moldova, but I would still rather live in Moldova than in South Africa as a random citizen.

There’s no reason for this other than you know what.
Besides economic, there’s not even cultural reason, as SA is way more lively country too. Moldova and some other European countries (including some of the rich) just look depressing as hell.

Doesn't South Africa have one of the highest crime rates in the world?

That depends on where you live because of high inequality gap. If most people here moved to South Africa, I would guess they would go to the best and safest neighborhoods, which look very appealing and not really much different from most developed places in the world.

While the better options in Moldova, still look quite depressing and without potential of growth, like it was stuck in a past that won’t return. There’s this decadence feel mixed with the depressing vibes.

Honestly, even poorer countries than South Africa would still be more appealing than Moldova, as long as I stayed in the bigger cities. I would go live in Nairobi, Kenya as a “Mzungu” for example, before even considering going to Moldova.

South Africa still >>> Kenya or Nigeria simply because it’s more liberal, being one of the first places in the world to legalize Gay marriage. Besides the economy.

I’m now starting to question which countries I would put below Moldova in the list and there’s only little. Maybe only in comparison with the real poorest in Africa.

Ukraine would be more appealing than Moldova and also some of these African countries I mentioned. But I would still easily pick South Africa over it.

I think it’s weird picking country to live based on one stat tbh, ignoring the contexts. As if it was easy reason when there are others.

[Red Velvet]

South Africa may be richer than Moldova, but I would still rather live in Moldova than in South Africa as a random citizen.

There’s no reason for this other than you know what.
Besides economic, there’s not even cultural reason, as SA is way more lively country too. Moldova and some other European countries (including some of the rich) just look depressing as hell.

Doesn't South Africa have one of the highest crime rates in the world?

That depends on where you live because of high inequality gap. If most people here moved to South Africa, I would guess they would go to the best and safest neighborhoods, which look very appealing and not really much different from most developed places in the world.

While the better options in Moldova, still look quite depressing and without potential of growth, like it was stuck in a past that won’t return. There’s this decadence feel mixed with the depressing vibes.

Moldova is not your standard impoverish post Soviet Republic, it's a impoverish post Soviet Republic with rich soil, water and mediterranean climate (at least in the southern half). Also the people I know who moved to Moldova lived like kings just without having to live in gated communities like in South Africa.

That sounds like a stereotype of a very particular type of elite neighborhood, not just any good safe place in the big city. If anything these places tend to be further away in South Africa instead of in the center of the big cities. Again, depends of what specific region and area you go.

But I’m getting we have very different definitions on the matter, as the poster above mentioned, maybe even US big cities would be seen as “dangerous” by average European. Even if I see no difference between US big cities and European big cities in terms of safety other than the number of population being larger (and naturally bigger the city, bigger the risks, but you just gotta be street smart and not dumb to enter dangerous areas).

If anything, I saw a robbery in Europe while I was there, but not in NYC lol