The difference is Australians are probably more vocal about how unfair it is.
That's the view of property guru and investment expert Philippe Brach who said the great Australian dream didn't have to be a nightmare.
The author of Creating Property Wealth in Any Market said there was still money to be made in property even if the capitals were out of reach for many buyers.
The CEO of Multifocus Properties & Finance told news.com.au housing affordability was a huge issue in capitals such as Sydney and Melbourne.
"This is definitely a wider issue than we think," he said.
"Look at London and New York. Anywhere you have jobs means the dwellings are going to cost more.
"Sydney is ranked as among the most expensive capitals to buy and that may be true, but that also doesn't take into account things like stamp duty, and developers costs."
Mr Brach said Sydney had the lion's share of jobs in NSW which meant housing was always going to be in strong demand.
Victorians on the other hand had more regional hubs with localised jobs.
He said buying in Sydney wasn't impossible but buyers had to be prepared to make some sacrifices as most of the jobs in NSW were in Sydney.
"People commute from Wollongong or the Central Coast because most of the jobs are in Sydney," he said.
RENTVESTING
Mr Brach said people could still live their dream lifestyles and buy a home — it just might not be where they want to live.
"Reinvesting has its advantages," he said.
"You can still get onto the property market and will save for a lower deposit faster."
Mr Brach said buying in Bondi, in Sydney's east, was not an option for many people with a house costing an easy $2 million.
The rental repayments compared to mortgage repayments were easily a third less.
"That's a lot of extra money you could put towards a deposit or pay off a mortgage faster elsewhere," he said.
Investors also had good returns with good growth and rental returns in areas outside of Sydney.
Mr Brach said the obvious disadvantage was that people felt less secure renting somewhere themselves.
"You're basically at the mercy of your landlord," he said.
Long-term leases were a good option for renters who could secure them but he said they aren't common.
COMMUTING
People could also buy outside the capitals for a much more affordable price, but had to be prepared to travel.
Housing was much cheaper, but Mr Brach said the obvious disadvantage was people would spend more time driving or sitting on a train.
"Moving further out is a reality and houses in Wollongong and the Central Coast are still affordable," Mr Brach said.
"You can be at work in over an hour and if a high speed rail link is built your property will go up."
BUYING TOGETHER
Those who absolutely wanted to buy their Bondi Beach home could also buy with a friend, couple or even a family, Mr Brach said.
While complicated it didn't have to be impossible and sharing a home was a good way of splitting the associated costs.
FLIPPING
People looking at saving quickly or selling an investment for a profit could also consider flipping, but Mr Brach warned this was often risky.
Flipping is when a home is purchased, renovated and resold for profit in a short time.
He said this high reward option should be used only by those who know exactly what they're doing.
"TV shows make it look easy but the reality is costs always blow out," he said.
"If you do this make sure you have a savings buffer."
This profit could be used to go towards a house in an area where you want to live for example.
Mr Brach said even seasoned investors were reluctant to do this and developers and builders often reaped the best rewards from this method.
