Affording life

I’ve lived in Cambodia for quite a while and have spent the vast majority of my time living with my Cambodian fiancé’s family. Now that we’re looking at other parts of our future like house/car/family, I genuinely can’t understand how so many people (foreign and Cambodian alike) can afford what they do. I mean, cars are crazy expensive, purchasing a house in the city is literally more than in the US, and even low-mid schools are at least $1000/year. Everyone I live with now is very miserly, but I guess we just don’t have good enough salaries? What sort of jobs are you guys working to be able to afford houses and cars and stuff? 😅 It’s disheartening and feels like we’ll never be able to afford anything. Additionally, the school I teach at is not awful, but not the best either, and yet I am shocked by how many of my students’ families have multiple cars, own property, and somehow do it all on one salary? I’m trying to be like that 😂