The media has, of late, been full of stories of people escaping to the country from the capital in search of pastures new, peaceful and considerably less pricey. But that doesn’t mean that a mass exodus is occurring. In fact, there are still plenty of Brits keen on excitement, dynamism and a great city energy looking to move to London.
Whether it’s for a job, for culture or its thriving social and restaurant scene, there are so many reasons to move to London, and for many, it remains the best city in the world. That is, if you bear in mind these considerations before you relocate.
It’s One Of The Best Cities In The World
Yep, this one bears repeating; there’s no city quite like London. It’s a bustling place full of history and character, with great people and a rebellious soul.
For food lovers, it’s still the best place to live in the UK, and, arguably, the world. One of the greatest joys of living in London is that you can find just about any cuisine, and eating out in this city is one of the biggest perks of living here. The diversity of deliciousness on offer, quite simply, makes the rat race seem almost worth it sometimes.
When it comes to Michelin-starred restaurants in London, at the time of writing there are 5 restaurants with three Michelin stars, 10 restaurants with two and 54 with one. Oh, and there are 35 restaurants with Bib Gourmands, the latter award indicating great food that won’t cost you a fortune.
For culture vultures, too, it’s arguably the best place to live in the UK. There are hundreds of theatres and more than 250 registered art galleries and museums in the Greater London area.
While London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in (more on that later), a lot of it is, remarkably, free. Those aforementioned museums, art galleries and many other educational attractions won’t cost you a penny to enter – amazing and largely unique for a capital city.
There’s also beautiful, wildlife abundant parks for a stroll or snooze. In fact, London is greener than most major cities, with approximately 40% of the city being made up of parkland. Oh, and there’s historic streets to take in and exciting street art and performances to enjoy, if you’re looking to be entertained on a budget.
Read: London’s best kept dining secrets
It’s A Multicultural Haven
London is home to one of the most multicultural populations in the world, and presents opportunities for personal and professional progression rarely found in the world’s other truly ‘global’ cities.
Indeed, UCL reports that “Approximately 1/3 of Londoners were born abroad and over 200 languages are spoken in the capital”, and, as such, if you’re looking to move to London from abroad, you’re bound to find a warm welcome somewhere in the capital.
And if you’re keen to get out of the city and experience other cultures from time to time, living in London offers easy access to the rest of the world. St. Pancras (home to the Eurostar) connects you to mainland Europe, with services to Paris, Lille, Brussels, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and there are six international airports, too – probably one of the reasons it’s so multicultural.
Life Here Is Expensive
There’s no dressing this one up; London is a notoriously expensive place to call home.
Talk to most people and ask how expensive London is, and no doubt they’ll quote you the average price of a pint. Indeed, the cost of a beer has long been bemoaned as the sign of how expensive it is to live in London. Now you’re probably wondering how much one is, right?
Back in June, the average charge for a pint was £8 in one London pub, and as the cost of living crisis continues, according to a report in the London Evening Standard, the price of a cold glass of the ol’ amber nectar is predicted to surge as high as £14.
While London’s transport infrastructure is wonderful and often runs 24/7, it’s not that cheap, either, with two journeys costing nearly seven pounds. Moreover, to travel to different regions of the UK from London is extortionate unless you book well in advance, so much so, in fact, that hopping on a plane to Europe is considerably cheaper than pretty much any train journey here.
Accordingly, it’s important to hone in on what really matters, in terms of where and how you choose to live, to make living in London financially viable.
Read: 7 autumn day trips 2 hours from London
You’ll Have To Make Compromises
London is a humongous place and is made up of dozens of boroughs. Homes are smaller and many don’t have an outdoor space. If you’re buying, depending on whether you’re after a central property or one further afield, you could be putting down tens upon tens of thousands just as a deposit.
You need to be realistic with what kind of property you can afford. Understandably, many of us dream of living in a huge house, but if your income doesn’t cover it, you’ll have to make compromises in the property.
London conveyancing solicitors Quittance tell us that “The current average house price in the UK is over £280,00, nearly £35,000 higher than prices at the beginning of the pandemic. The average value of a London property is now over £520,000”.
They continue; “The diversity of buyers and seller profiles in London is greater than anywhere else in the UK. Every month we deal with overseas buyers from the EU, Asia, America and the Middle East”.
Yep, there’s a lot of competition when it comes to buying and even renting houses in London, so be prepared to barter and bargain if you’ve truly got your heart set on living in the capital.
Read: Here’s how to achieve the IDEAL work/life balance in London
Which Borough Is Right For You?
Speaking of different areas of the city, London has 32 boroughs, so if you’re unfamiliar with the city, it’s best to give a few neighbourhoods a ‘trial run’, as it were, to find which best suits your unique needs. Check out our guide to East London’s best areas here and some of the coolest neighbourhoods in the city here for a little more inspiration.
Commuting Is A Pain
Your commute to work plays a big part in where you choose to settle, too. Do you want to be spending over an hour getting to and from work each day? If the answer is no, you’ll need to look at properties closer to the office or investigate a role that allows remote working.
Pollution & Crime Rates
Many like to label London as a ‘dangerous’ city to settle down in. This is generally, genuinely nonsense. According to The Economist’s 2017 Safe Cities Index, based on factors like health, infrastructure, and personal safety, London ranked as the 20th safest city in the world
In fact, London’s crime rate is lower than other UK cities. Recent figures reveal Greater Manchester has a crime severity score of 13.4 compared to 13.2 in London, exceeded only by West Yorkshire at 13.6.
So, is London safer than other cities? As the principal investigator for UCL’s City Leadership Initiative Dr Michele Acuto explains in the Guardian, “Rankings pit cities against each other. If you say London is safer than Manchester, it’s a blunt generalisation. You can say London has a lower crime rate than Manchester – that would be correct – but making judgements on safety is perception-based.”.
Indeed, ‘safety’ can mean many different things to different people, and what one person deems safe could, to another, present potential risks.
When it comes to pollution, as the Evening Standard explains, “The sheer size of London, combined with a dense road network and tall buildings, means central London is one of the most polluted places in the UK’’.
Yep, London has some of the worst pollution in the UK, so if you want to see the stars in the evening or go for a jog and breathe in clean fresh air, then London may not be the place for you.
Loneliness In London Is A Thing
Even though London is home to 9 million people and it’s one of the most well connected cities in the world, it can also be one of the most lonely cities to live in. Like any big city, it’s easy to feel a little isolated here, and it’s important to make efforts to connect with your community if you’re keen to keep that isolation at bay.
Unless you live in the same neighbourhood, popping around to a friend’s house casually of an evening isn’t always terribly convenient, and you often have to be proactive in your efforts to be sociable in London.
We’ve got you covered on that count; from getting involved in your community to becoming a local somewhere, here’s 10 ways to be more sociable today which just might help you if you do make the move to London.
The Bottom Line
As with all global cities, there are pros and cons of living in London. Here at IDEAL, we still think it’s one of the best places we’ve ever lived, and would recommend the capital in a heartbeat. Do let us know when you’ve settled in!