I've been living in London for about 1,5 years and would like to share some experiences and things I've learned
Firstly, I've eaten a lot of humble pie and realised that while there may be different grass, it isn't always greener. I was definitely one of the people that couldn't wait to leave SA and said I'd never miss it or go back. Now I battle daily with if I should return or not. This might make some people angry, I know plenty of people who would love to emigrate but don't have the means. I would say be sure you know what you are looking for before you beside to move
Some of the main things I thought before moving:
- You don't waste money on things that should be covered by taxes, like medical aid and private security.
This is true, although you are taxed quite heavily for it. However, what will really kill you in London is the rent. If you're a single person you're looking at at least £800 to rent one room in a flat in a decent, central area. Yes you can get room for much cheaper further out, if you want to spend 1.5 hours commuting each way. It's not unusual to be spending 50% of your salary on rent, although this mostly applies to people around 20-30 years old I'm sure. You do get some people in their 40's still flat sharing though. For someone like me who previously had a whole house in SA and likes privacy this is very hard
- You save money not needing a car/insurance/maintenance
This is true, and London public transport is amazing until you use it every day. The tube at rush hour isn't fun, and wait till you just want to go home and watch 4 tubes go past because they are all too full to get on. It is, for the most part, reliable though. If you live somewhere where you catch a overground train, you will soon become accustomed to the many delays and train cancellations that will leave you unable to get home without a 2 hour bus detour.
And guess what, there are strikes in the UK too. The rail unions aren't shy to strike, and when there's no tubes you still have to get to work somehow. It's also not cheap. A monthly ticket will cost about £145 for Zone 1-3, all so you can be absolutely crushed on a train, if it does show up. Combine that with your £800 rent and you've spent close to a grand already
-Jobs, there is a good job market in London. What you will realise it that there are also millions of people in London, and no matter what industry you work in there are probably a few hundred people applying for every job you do. I have friends in a few different professions and it can take 6 months to find a new job even if you are well qualified. Unless you really stand out, you are a small fish in a very big pond. While I had a very good job in SA, I haven't been able to find anything at that level again.
- Lifestlye, probably the biggest one for me. You might think you'll have alot more disposable income, but after rent, travel and and savings, there isn't as much as you'd think. Groceries are cheap and their are plenty of specials, which is good. I find going out prohibitively expensive though. It's easy to spend £50-80 on drinks in one night if you go to a bar/club. Restaurants can have good deals, but try avoid drinking out too much. It's hard to find places you could make a braai if you aren't lucky enough to have a garden, and hosting is hard when in a flatshare so you end up going out
I'd say think carefully about what you want before deciding to move. If you want a house with a garden and your own car, these things are possible but certainly not in London. If you're young, don't mind flatsharing, and want to have explore then maybe it's right for you
Firstly, I've eaten a lot of humble pie and realised that while there may be different grass, it isn't always greener. I was definitely one of the people that couldn't wait to leave SA and said I'd never miss it or go back. Now I battle daily with if I should return or not. This might make some people angry, I know plenty of people who would love to emigrate but don't have the means. I would say be sure you know what you are looking for before you beside to move
Some of the main things I thought before moving:
- You don't waste money on things that should be covered by taxes, like medical aid and private security.
This is true, although you are taxed quite heavily for it. However, what will really kill you in London is the rent. If you're a single person you're looking at at least £800 to rent one room in a flat in a decent, central area. Yes you can get room for much cheaper further out, if you want to spend 1.5 hours commuting each way. It's not unusual to be spending 50% of your salary on rent, although this mostly applies to people around 20-30 years old I'm sure. You do get some people in their 40's still flat sharing though. For someone like me who previously had a whole house in SA and likes privacy this is very hard
- You save money not needing a car/insurance/maintenance
This is true, and London public transport is amazing until you use it every day. The tube at rush hour isn't fun, and wait till you just want to go home and watch 4 tubes go past because they are all too full to get on. It is, for the most part, reliable though. If you live somewhere where you catch a overground train, you will soon become accustomed to the many delays and train cancellations that will leave you unable to get home without a 2 hour bus detour.
And guess what, there are strikes in the UK too. The rail unions aren't shy to strike, and when there's no tubes you still have to get to work somehow. It's also not cheap. A monthly ticket will cost about £145 for Zone 1-3, all so you can be absolutely crushed on a train, if it does show up. Combine that with your £800 rent and you've spent close to a grand already
-Jobs, there is a good job market in London. What you will realise it that there are also millions of people in London, and no matter what industry you work in there are probably a few hundred people applying for every job you do. I have friends in a few different professions and it can take 6 months to find a new job even if you are well qualified. Unless you really stand out, you are a small fish in a very big pond. While I had a very good job in SA, I haven't been able to find anything at that level again.
- Lifestlye, probably the biggest one for me. You might think you'll have alot more disposable income, but after rent, travel and and savings, there isn't as much as you'd think. Groceries are cheap and their are plenty of specials, which is good. I find going out prohibitively expensive though. It's easy to spend £50-80 on drinks in one night if you go to a bar/club. Restaurants can have good deals, but try avoid drinking out too much. It's hard to find places you could make a braai if you aren't lucky enough to have a garden, and hosting is hard when in a flatshare so you end up going out
I'd say think carefully about what you want before deciding to move. If you want a house with a garden and your own car, these things are possible but certainly not in London. If you're young, don't mind flatsharing, and want to have explore then maybe it's right for you
About 3x that. 
