As someone from a former socialist country, I can confirm.
Situation has got a lot better in the last ~30 years, people have alot more, but since a few people got even more than that, some complain a lot. Average worker family has gone from bicicyles and maybe one yugo (or a "fico" - even smaller/cheaper) to two, maybe three european-mid-range cars + all the modern extras, but are not happy, because their neighbor has as 100k€ mercedes.
Theodore Roosevelt
One of the effect of comparison is that it diminishes one thing over another.
I often find new the thing when I just experience one thing for itself without comparing against a pre-existing experience and thing.
But yeah... we earn relatively little (compared to you), and have better cars than most of the northern europe... most of them on long year loans... It's not rare to see an (eg.) BMW X7 owner at a gas station pump 9.85eur of gas, than slowly fondle the pump handle, because he only has 10eur for gas. The neighbors see the car, not the amount of gas inside :)
Also a lot of "not in my back yard" behaviour.
...out here, people want their neighbours to have less.