I am jealous of the lifestyle of most of Europe, but not the rigid labour markets and lower salaries. I wish we had more people-oriented cities in North America, though. I don't want to be anti-automobile, but the hostility to the "15 minute city" idea was quite depressing to me.
The salaries are indeed lower, but you get so much more for the money. Better healthcare, better food, livable cities. Lots of major cost items like a car (or three!) are things you can simply skip.