Living in London: Pros and cons
If you’re an expat deciding where to live in the UK, sometimes it feels like you either move to London (aka the bustling global center of the universe) or you move to not-London (aka some other random part of the country that’s not as good as London).
My husband lived in London for a few years in his early 20s before we met, and then we lived there together for a couple of years in our late 20s, so I’ve experienced the awesomeness and the not-so-greatness of London. And now that we’re planning this move back to the UK (and we’re moving to not-London), I can’t help but reflect on it all.
Here’s my tl;dr take on London:
London is the best city in the world, and it’s especially great if you have a big salary, a nice group of friends, and are an extrovert. Otherwise, it’s still the best city in the world, but it’s also expensive, lonely, and (if you’re like me) draining to constantly be surrounded by people.
I’ve never lived there with kids, but I’d imagine it’s similar in that your quality of life would be way better with good money and a healthy social life. Maybe that’s true anywhere, but it’s especially true in London.
With all that said, here’s my list of pros and cons of the Big Smoke from an expat point of view.
Pros of London
Culture
The food, the music, the shows, everything! You name it, you can experience it in London. There’s just no comparison to anywhere else. There’s always a new speakeasy in some cool corner of the city, or a popup art gallery showcasing a bunch of amazing artists, or a movie being filmed down the street. It is just a cool city, and you feel special to be part of it.
Not to add a “con” to the pro list, but it can be kind of overwhelming sometimes too. I remember spending hours trying to figure out where to go for dinner. Sure, I also had a boring job that let me spend hours reading restaurant listings and pouring over Google maps. But still, when you have thousands of options, the decision paralysis can be real.
Opportunity
Career-wise, there are so many companies based in London or that have offices in London. I’m a writer by trade, and the number of creative jobs and world-class agencies in London is so impressive.
But now, another downside, the competition is fierce. At least, the last time I was job hunting in London was brutal. (Although, to be fair, it was like 10 years ago and I was basically entry level.) The talent pool is vast, so if you’re applying for the good jobs, expect competition.
Diversity
It sounds cliche, but London is a true melting pot. You see people from all over the world, hear languages that you didn’t know existed, are introduced to fantastic new foods - you get the idea. London is a wonderful place to get a more worldly perspective and learn about yourself in the process.
I worked in a London borough that had the largest Pakistani community in the city. I’m not even close to being Pakistani, so I learned a ton about the culture, holidays, religions, clothing, you name it. Plus, I had coworkers from many other countries too. During my time in London, I worked with people from all over Europe, India, Philippines, North Africa, Argentina, even Canada! (haha)
Beauty
The parks, the buildings, the monuments, the people. Well, maybe not aaall the people. London is a great place to live if you want to feel like you’re living in a movie. Sure, there are more than a few gritty streets and sad spots, but turn the corner and suddenly you’re in Love Actually again.
My husband and I lived in Wimbledon for a while, and we used to love taking the bus to Putney and walking along the river. Gorgeous. And it’s where Thomas Cromwell was born, so bonus for history geeks.
History
Speaking of history, the UK has it in spades, and London is no different. Even if you don’t really care about history, London grounds you with a deep sense of place. It’s been there for millennia. It keeps building and rebuilding itself, and it’s an honor to be part of it, even for just a moment.
If you need some proof, the British government puts blue plaques on building where famous people once lived or did something amazing, and you can find these little blue dots everywhere across the city, apparently in more than 1,000 spots.
Connections
If you need to get around, London can help you out. The Tube and buses take you all over the city, plus it’s getting more bike friendly all the time. Trains can get you across the country, and there are a bunch of airports to fly you everywhere else.
For people who travel a lot, or if you plan to have a lot of visitors coming to see you, London is the place to be!
Cons of London
Cost
To buy a house, or even just to rent, is sooo expensive, especially when compared to the average salaries. Sure, London salaries are slightly higher than the rest of the country, but you still earn around £30,000 or £40,000… not great.
London knows how to spend your money real fast. And if you’re scraping by, it’s just not fun.
Crowds
If you like to be around herds of people all the time, come to London!
I remember my first London commute. I used to get on at the New Cross stop, the last overground stop before London Bridge, so it was packed full with all the commuters from the outer suburbs. The other people on the platform and I would try to squeeze on, stuffing ourselves under people’s armpits while the doors slammed on us again and again. It was horrible.
Another year, I had a 90-minute commute each way, and I would be so exhausted by the weekend and so sick of fighting the crowds, I’d just want to crawl in bed and watch TV. Remember what I said about how amazing the culture is? It doesn’t really matter if you’re too burnt out to do anything.
Travel times
It can take a long time to get around the city, even if you’re a fast walker or have a direct bus route or don’t mind paying for an Uber. You’ll find yourself saying things like, “Where is the show? Ugh, it’s gonna take us two hours to get home.”
You get used to it after a while, but it’s still not fun to spend so much of your time just trying to get from point a to point b.
Accessibility
We noticed this last year when we were in London with our toddler and a stroller and wheelie luggage. London is not made for accessibility. I don’t know how people in wheelchairs do it.
Everywhere you turn, there are cobblestones or awkward ramps or broken elevators or stairs with no ramp or elevator in sight. And that’s just the walk from the hotel to the train station. The buildings are even worse, all narrow and full of stairs.
I guess it’s all part of London’s rich history, to be old and beautiful and completely inaccessible.
