I love answering the question of "freedom" levels in different places. You nailed it. I've lived in the US, Japan, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. They all have "freedom." but determining the level depends on the particular situation. In Saudi, you're basically free to do whatever you want out in the desert. Nobody will bother you. Not so in any Saudi town. The oppression is well known. Japan has a lot of freedoms the US doesn't and vice versa. Thailand feels freer than the rest, but that is largely due to the fact that I'm usually on vacation there, plus being a foreigner you're kind of outside of most societal pressures that limit freedom. Also, I'm always on a motorcycle there with "Born to Be Wild" stuck in my head.

But I'm pretty sure, it must be hard to understand what freedom is without having lived abroad. It's not one thing.