College costs definitely has made things more difficult for this generation. No doubt. I also just finished paying off my own degree (hotel management, ha!). Yeah, as far as college goes, things are very different.
Also, I'm sure it varies according to region. Your hometown is probably very different from mine.
But I still contend in most other areas, life is easier for this generation. I took a mental survey of everyone I know under 30; young friends, young adult children of friends, etc. and I have to say, they are at the same place I was at that age, some better, some not as well along. I know some who have new cars, and nice homes in the $150-250K range. Adjusted for inflation (which has been extremely low for a long, long time here), the homes are about the same cost to income ratio. Some of the guys I worked with at the cycle shop still live in apartments and paycheck to paycheck, but they refuse to get better paying jobs. I know, I talked with them about it--why work retail for $11 an hour when Houston is full of chemical plants hiring and paying $25? They just don't want to do that kind of work. So, what do they expect?
I grew up in the 70s, I remember what it was like then. It was easier than when my father grew up. And I raised children in the 90s and 2000s, they had it pretty good. I'll have to ask them if they think life is harder now than before, that will be interesting...