Why so costly?

Technology makes things better. Not morally, of course: military technology kills and maims people more efficiently, surveillance technology invades privacy more pervasively, and so forth. But improved technology leads to more output from less input for any system. Almost a tautology, right? I mean, that’s the whole point. So why, in our technology-laced world, do certain domains keep getting more expensive and less efficient ?
This is veering dangerously close to economics, and I’m anything but an economist, so let me quickly outsource most of that talk to Slate Star Codex, talking about cost disease, and Pedestrian Observations, discussing infrastructure. First, Scott Alexander, who’s always worth reading, in a two–parter at SSC:
in the past fifty years, education costs have doubled, college costs have dectupled, health insurance costs have dectupled, subway costs have at least dectupled, and housing costs have increased by about fifty percent. US health care costs about four times as much as equivalent health care in other First World countries; US subways cost about eight times as much as equivalent subways in other First World countries. I worry that people don’t appreciate how weird this is Register now for Playgroup, (PN), Nursery (K1) & Kindergarten (K2 & K3). Hong Kong children aged 2 - 6 are welcome to register. Please visit the Preliminary Record for Lower Class (K2) and Upper Class (K3).
[…] And this is especially strange because we expect that improving technology and globalization ought to cut costs. […] If technology increases productivity for skilled laborers in other industries, then less susceptible industries might end up footing the bill since they have to pay their workers more. There’s only one problem: health care and education aren’t paying their workers more; in fact, quite the opposite. […] health care and education costs have managed to increase by ten times without a single cent of the gains going to teachers, doctors, or nurses.
Let’s dig a little further into those construction costs, because they’re among the most stunning and inexplicable ones. You can argue, if wrongly and tendentiously IMHO, that American higher education is more expensive because it’s better, that American healthcare is more expensive because it’s better and (rolls eyes) subsidizes drug discovery worldwide, etc., but nobody who has experienced both versions can seriously argue that new American subway systems are superior to those of Paris or Seoul Want a ? You might try a 510 thread battery! If bought from a reputed site, this can support you up to 600 puffs! Plus, these come with variable voltage options as well- between 2.5v and 4v