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We are an indian couple thinking of moving to London. We currently live in the city of san francisco, so we are used to extremly high housing prices. We just had our first baby. My question is how much of a shock will it be if we move to London in terms of expenses as compared to SFO. We are thinking of moving to Greenwich area in south east london.
Also are there good state schools in london( greenwich area in particular), is there anything i need to be aware of culturally..we have lived in the US for 10 years, and although we dont have many friends here, people have been friendly, open to other races and its comforatble living, so moving to London is really a big decision for us. We have to cause our green card has been stuck indefinetly since 2004. Any advices on
1) Cost of living comparison between sfo vs. london
2) Is london baby friendly?
3) is the education system good
4) Will I find more racism in London
BTW, we have offers 55,000 pounds ( myself) and my husband has ( 45,000 pounds) offer..will this be suffiecient to lead a decent life without going from paycheck to paycheck??
Hi,
Can't compare SF with London as I've not lived in SF. But I'll try to help you. On a joint salary of £100k you should live well even in London depending on where you live and like doing. The average wage in London is £27,000 a year I believe. You can rent a nice 2 bed appartment for about £1400-£2000 a month depending on where it is with another £500-700 on top for utilties and council tax (property tax).
There is racist behaviour in small pockets of London but usually it's in area's you'd not want to live! Mostly the UK is a cosmopolitan country nad racism of any sort is not tolerated here.
Can't help you in relation to baby friendly as I don't have kids, neither does anyone I know in London.
Education system not just in London is based where you are. There's some great public schools but you need to live in a certain radius of each school to request your kids go there. Some of the better ones are over subscribed. Of course like any city there's ones that aren't great. I believe the UK government publishes a yearly league table for each town/city and the UK as a whole - so maybe that will help you!
I've lived in London my whole life and let me warn you: this is one of the worst places to live in the world. There's criminals everywhere, hardly anyone has morals: binge drinking, promiscuity and violence is very common. As for your child, not long ago a report was published by a children's charity which concluded that England is the worst developed country for a child to grow up in. To be honest, it's not hard to see why. Other than that, there's high taxes and costs everywhere. As for racism, I have faced none: I am Asian.
I'm sorry if my answer troubles you, but this is a seriously horrid place, and as soon as I qualify, I'm heading for the US.
I'm originally from London but lived all over the world...now in USA.
I lived in Greenwich for 3 years and loved it - if I were to go back to London that's where I'd go! Greenwich Park and Blackheath common are lovely, so is the river walk area - and so are all the little shopping areas, the market, the restaurants and pubs etc. In that part of London there are still lots of 'village' areas, beautiful Victorian houses with small centres for shopping.
Slagy hi. I hope that's not your name or a nick name because you will get teased in London or people will feel uncomfortable calling you that..
I've lived in Southern California but not Northern, but from what I know of SF, I'd say depending on where you are in SF, house prices are on par with parts of London. But I'd hazzard a guess and say London is more. The difference is that in San Francisco, you get more bang for your bucks...there is a much higher standard of living in the US.
If you choose London, Greenwich is a good choice and if either of you will be working in Canary Wharf it will be a very easy and short commute by train...
Here are links to school comparrison sites
You will find racism anywhere you go, but London is very tolerant. Just a across the river from Greenwich is East London which has a high Asian community these includes the Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Redbridge.
You sure you want to move to London?
Whats the situation on your green card?
This site will give you a good idea about house prices and other questions.
We are an indian couple thinking of moving to London. We currently live in the city of san francisco, so we are used to extremly high housing prices. We just had our first baby. My question is how much of a shock will it be if we move to London in terms of expenses as compared to SFO. We are thinking of moving to Greenwich area in south east london.
Also are there good state schools in london( greenwich area in particular), is there anything i need to be aware of culturally..we have lived in the US for 10 years, and although we dont have many friends here, people have been friendly, open to other races and its comforatble living, so moving to London is really a big decision for us. We have to cause our green card has been stuck indefinetly since 2004. Any advices on
1) Cost of living comparison between sfo vs. london
2) Is london baby friendly?
3) is the education system good
4) Will I find more racism in London
BTW, we have offers 55,000 pounds ( myself) and my husband has ( 45,000 pounds) offer..will this be suffiecient to lead a decent life without going from paycheck to paycheck??
thanks all!!!
1, London is much more expensive overall. Crime is rampant and the economy is going down the toilet (worse than the US). Tax is much higher on income too. You will struggle on 100k with a child unless your company pays housing. My company has a waiting list of 60 people (full up) looking to relocate from London to the US. Most are moving for a better quality of life.
2, No its not baby friendly and schools are awful in the SE London area. Try taking a baby on the tube or a crowded bus. Health Service in SE London is also terrible so you will have to get private to compare with private quality/standard in the US.
3, No have to go private in the SE London area unless you are not picky.
4, I would say much more racism in the UK these days especially in SE London where some of the worst council estates (projects) are. You can find nice pockets such as the best part of Greenwich but its surrounded by horrible areas. Areas surrounding are either Asian Ghettos , Black Ghettos or White working class Ghettos or Projects. Crime is up big time and intolerance is on the rise. Much much worse than SF.
If you didn't have a child I would say give it a go short term and rent a flat in central London but with a baby no way. If you insist then live further out and commute in. Don't deal with London and its problems.
1, London is much more expensive overall. Crime is rampant and the economy is going down the toilet (worse than the US). Tax is much higher on income too. You will struggle on 100k with a child unless your company pays housing. My company has a waiting list of 60 people (full up) looking to relocate from London to the US. Most are moving for a better quality of life.
2, No its not baby friendly and schools are awful in the SE London area. Try taking a baby on the tube or a crowded bus. Health Service in SE London is also terrible so you will have to get private to compare with private quality/standard in the US.
3, No have to go private in the SE London area unless you are not picky.
4, I would say much more racism in the UK these days especially in SE London where some of the worst council estates (projects) are. You can find nice pockets such as the best part of Greenwich but its surrounded by horrible areas. Areas surrounding are either Asian Ghettos , Black Ghettos or White working class Ghettos or Projects. Crime is up big time and intolerance is on the rise. Much much worse than SF.
If you didn't have a child I would say give it a go short term and rent a flat in central London but with a baby no way. If you insist then live further out and commute in. Don't deal with London and its problems.
Dude you need to cool it some. A lot of my posts indicate I'm not excited to be here in the UK, but when I feel the frustation coming on I just tell myself it's only for a while and the best thing about being back in England is knowing that my family are nearby and right now I won't trade that for NOTHING. Not after living abroad for almsot 20 years. The second best thing is that I've seen what was just going to be a little part time buisness I started 3 years ago, grow to something I can franchise before I move back to the USA. I love what I do.
London can be hell but it's also what you make it to be and I decided I wasn't going to let it turn me into a miserable old biddy. Every where in London is surrounded by bad areas. Nottinghill Gate has its million £ homes but has its poor section where you can score some blow on the street, same goes for a lot of places in the USA and
The OP is Indian, I'm Black and I'm yet to come across racism directed towards me in the 4 years I have been back in the UK. The only intolerance and racism I've witnessed lately are from computer and armchair warriors on sites like this who can only vent all their pent up frustration behind a computer screen.
Truth be told this country caters to minorities like us and I don't know if it's the "white man guilt syndrome" or whether it's just a sense of fairness, decency and compassion that's unique to the Brits...but I'm grateful for the compassion that allows refugees and those who need to escape unimaginable ugliness that that I hope you will never encounter, the chance of a new life. Maybe the day you have to look into someones eyes who has had to watch their mother and sister raped and father killed, is when you will realise that London and even the UK as a whole ain't so bad. My lil brother worked with asylum seekers and can tell you a few stories.
I don't know if you are waiting for a transfer from your company, but 60 people on the waiting list?????????????? You have an American wife don't you? Just gerron with it and get into America without your company. If they gave me a green card, any old donkey can get one. It wasn't that easy, but I sure didn't need a company to get me in.
London is a huge city, massive in its population, hugely diverse and a real melting-pot of modern peoples and cultures, yet with a vast and ancient history.
London is twin/sister with New York, Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Bejing and Tokyo - it is the world's foremost international meeting place.
It has many of the world's top univerities and top science institutions. The world's financial institutions live here, and its museums and art galleries are among the largest and richest in the world. Shall I go on....?
14 million people live in London - and pay the cost of doing so - I guess they don't all hate it? It has problems, but I imagine any highly populous city of such vastness has similar social problems and issues.
A few grumpy types on a web forum cannot possibly make a dent in the opinion of those with any depth of feeling or appreciation for such a place.
London is a great city, and on 100k per year you can afford it, and won't have to deal with the less desirable areas too much. I have never lived in California, but have lived in London.. and loved it. Central London average salary is around 50k and average overall is around 28k, so your fine. Taxes may be higher here, but you won't have to add on health insurance, or property taxes (council tax will be 100-160k per month). I would prefer SFO if I could afford either, but you will not be dissapointed with London.
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It has problems, but I imagine any highly populous city of such vastness has similar social problems and issues.
