Economics still informs. How many dollars do you spend per year? That really is it. In a world where a dollar is a petrodollar, the number of dollars you spend pretty much tells you your consumer level. I left the USA to live a more sustainable lifestyle. I generally spend about $1000 to $1200 a month to live a comfortable life with my partner in a cozy two bedroom apartment. Total. We splurge on travel for 3 months a year and during those months it probably goes up to $3000-$4000. So ballpark $25000 a year.

And if the response is that the USA is inflated compared to other countries, then yes, that is because the entire system is soaking up resources by the minute. It's hoovering energy and capital from the rest of the globe to keep that system moving.