The Benefits and Drawbacks of Living in London | Keller Hotels Private Residences

Are London’s gorgeous boroughs and cultural treasures calling your name? Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of living in London was an important element of our decision to relocate from the United States. And, while we wouldn’t trade our new expat life for anything, it is not without its difficulties.

Endless amounts of things to do

You’ll never be bored in London.

London offers approximately 15,000 restaurants, over 100 theaters, over 200 museums, and dozens of tourist sites. Not to mention the city’s enormous quantity of stores, parks, festivals, and one-of-a-kind events.

And, contrary to popular belief, many of the best things to do in London are free! You can visit the National Gallery, Natural History Museum, British Library, and dozens of other attractions for free (but donations are encouraged).

You could spend every minute of every weekend touring London’s attractions and never see them all. Because there is so much to do, but also because new bars, exhibits, and stores open all the time.

If you believe that variety is the spice of life, you’ll feel perfectly at home in London.

Drawback: You may experience choice overload.

Toward the conclusion of our first year in the capital, I understood that all of these options were both advantages and disadvantages of living in London.

We kept a spreadsheet of locations we wanted to visit and restaurants we wanted to try when we lived in Philadelphia and Austin. It was enjoyable to refer to this list and organize our weekend activities.

But when I tried the same spreadsheet strategy in London, I was completely overwhelmed. We had WAY too many incredible things we wanted to see, experience, and eat. Keeping track of everything was more of a futile job than a feasible bucket list.

Choice overload is a true psychological impact that occurs when we are provided with an excessive number of options. Instead of picking from a plethora of options every weekend, we resorted to repeating the same old thing. My husband quipped that he likes living in London because he can hop on the tube and go wherever he wants at any time–a lovely theory, but rarely put into practice.

Benefit:There is a lot of history and famous places

Do you want to see a two-thousand-year-old Roman wall? What about the bar where Charles Dickens used to drink after a long day of writing? Perhaps famous movie sites are more your style.

Whatever your interests are, London’s historic and iconic locations will not disappoint. The city boasts layers upon layers of history, political intrigue, glitter, and splendor. And, happily, most of it has been preserved for both locals and tourists to enjoy today.

It’s always a good idea to start with some classic London landmarks like Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey. However, once you’ve completed your bucket list, there are plenty of non-touristy things to do in London during your free evenings and weekends.

Visit the Handel and Hendrix Museum for an unusual combination of music history. Admire the Osterley Park house’s kept decor. At Leadenhall Market, pretend you’re in Diagon Alley. It’s all there for you to explore at your leisure.

Drawback: Having to share the city with swarms of tourists

Being surrounded by historical landmarks, as well as swarms of tourists gawking at them, is one of the benefits and drawbacks of living in London.

The quantity of tourists in America pales in comparison to the amount of sightseers I encounter in central London. During the peak travel season in August, I entirely avoid Zone 1. I once made the mistake of meeting my husband for lunch outside St. Paul’s Cathedral on a Friday in mid-August, and it turned out to be one of the most stressful moments of my London life.

Living in London will be a huge adjustment if you’ve never lived in a strongly touristed city. Especially if you don’t have time for slow walkers, selfie takers, or those who don’t know how to use public transportation.

Benefit: Many green gardens to tour

Did you realize that 47% of London is green space? Outsiders envision the capital as a bustling metropolis of glass, stone, and steel. However, parks, gardens, and commons cover over half of the capital.

Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and Regent’s Park are all located in the city center. There are also hundreds of grassy getaways spread across bustling Zone 1. Some of my favorite escapes are St. Dunstan’s in the East and St. Paul’s Cathedral’s rear gardens.

Drawback: Commons and parks are not usually well-kept.

The disadvantage of enormous swathes of green space is that they are difficult to keep clean without an army of employees. Perhaps if all Brits (and tourists) were as environmentally aware as the Japanese are, we wouldn’t have to dodge broken glass and takeout containers on our nightly strolls.

While the tourists green places are kept tidy, the domestic parks and commons are not. To be fair, circumstances are quite nice during the cooler months. However, during the summer, the trash cans cannot keep up with the volume of garbage.

Benefit: Wages are higher in comparison to the rest of the UK.

London is the place to be. Aside from being Europe’s financial capital, it is also where ambitious British workers come to earn a fair living.

A full-time London worker’s annual wage is around £36,000. This is about 25% higher than the North East region of England.

London wages are higher for a number of reasons. Obviously, living in the cosmopolitan capital is more expensive than elsewhere in the UK, and this is reflected in earnings. However, London has a profusion of high-paying occupations in tech and finance, which raises the median.

Drawback: The cost of living is among the highest in the world.

Despite the fact that London has (happily) dropped in the rankings of the world’s most expensive cities, the cost of living here remains pretty high. Many of our monthly expenses in London greatly outweigh those in Philadelphia and Austin. And if you’re coming from a small town, the charges may appear exorbitant.

High rents are a major factor in London’s exorbitant cost of living. However, I’ve noticed that restaurant meals, drinks (particularly cocktails), haircuts, and apparel are all expensive.

Having said that, some of our costs are comparable to those of big US cities. Our typical food cost from one of London’s main supermarkets, for example, is roughly the same as it was in Philadelphia and Austin.

Benefit: City is well-connected by tube

The London Underground is my favorite mode of transportation. Yes, it’s dirty, the air is toxic, and there’s always some slow pedestrian who causes me to miss my train by a second… But I enjoy how simple it is to navigate the city beneath its streets.

There are 11 tube lines in London that connect 270 stations. Even if you live in Zone 3 or 4, you can generally get to your destination with just one line change. If you’re looking for a way to go around the city center, the District/Circle line makes a loop through the most popular areas and attractions.

I also like that most tube stations feature elevators and escalators, which make them more accessible and convenient for passengers with luggage. You can even bring your dog on the tube (though they cannot ride the escalators), so if you don’t have a car, you can go on adventures with your canine.

Drawback: During rush hour, several lines are quite congested.

We have the misfortune of residing on the Northern line, London’s busiest commuter line. During morning rush hour, our line is at 130% capacity, which means there’s barely enough room to breathe as you’re herded into a crowded and stuffy car.

Not to mention the ongoing engineering projects that cause you to change your route for days or months at a time. They’re one of the things I despise the most about London.

Fortunately, I work from home, and my husband modifies his in-office hours to avoid the excessive crowds. But if you’re not as lucky and have to utilize the Northern, Central, or Jubilee lines during rush hour, I wish you luck.

Benefit: There are plenty of transportation links to the UK

Easy travel was near the top of our list of benefits and downsides of living in London.

All of the major railways in the United Kingdom go through London, thus there are numerous alternatives for London day trips by train. Heathrow’s proximity allows for direct flights to practically anyplace in the world. The Continent is only a short flight away, thanks to six major airports and the Eurostar international train terminal at St. Pancras.

Weekend trips to Prague or overnight stays in Paris are perfectly inexpensive. Not just because the distance is small, but also because low-cost flights and train ticket offers make travel reasonable. We’ve purchased plane tickets to Italy and train tickets to Brussels for less than the price of a city meal!

Drawback: Travel time has risen due to Brexit.

We miss arriving at St. Pancras 20 minutes before our train departs as frequent passengers. With the UK leaving the EU at the end of 2020, border clearance is no longer a quick process.

Although the multi-hour lines that occurred immediately after Brexit will not be the new normal, it is reasonable to anticipate that security and immigration will consume more of your vacation time.

Benefit: Lovely character homes and flats

Historic architecture has always piqued my interest. That’s why I moved to Philadelphia after graduating from university! Fortunately, London is brimming with stunning period properties and vibrant row houses.

From Kensington’s majestic black and white façade to Notting Hill’s colorful mews, London’s residences and apartments are on par with the city’s more recognized tourist attractions. I enjoy strolling around residential areas and observing the beautiful architectural details that range from Georgian to Victorian to Edwardian.

Drawback: Rental market is expensive and competitive.

Housing is something that many people overlook when weighing the benefits and drawbacks of living in London. They specifically do not consider the compromises required to live near the city core.

Many Londoners envisage themselves living in a character property close to shops, pubs, and a great tube station. And, while having all of those things is undoubtedly doable, the ordinary person will be sharing that wonderful character flat with numerous roommates in order to make ends meet.

Finding a London flat is difficult due to the highly competitive rental market and excessive real estate costs. The greatest properties in popular communities are under contract within 24 hours of being listed publicly (and many more are sold before they are publicized online).

When looking for a place, keep an open mind and a list of “must-haves” in mind, especially if you wish to live in Zone 1.

Benefit: Excellent restaurants and a diverse food scene

With over 15,000 restaurants in the capital, 70 of which have Michelin stars, I’d argue that one of the nicest aspects of living in London is the food.

The cuisine scene in London reflects the city’s incredible diversity. Every night for two months, you could eat a different cuisine.

Some cities pride themselves on their Caribbean, Chinese, or Latin American food. However, there are entire restaurants in London dedicated to Tuscan cuisine, Trinidadian meals, and Nepalese cuisine.

In addition, the city is home to some of the world’s best and most distinctive restaurants, such as Gordan Ramsay’s in Chelsea and Sketch tea cafe in Mayfair.

Drawback: Dining out costs a lot of money.

Dining out is an expensive experience in London.

While you can get cheap food like kebabs or fish and chips, a mid-range dinner and a drink would set you back roughly £25-30. Entrees at more upscale restaurants cost £40 or more, with tasting menus costing £100 or more.

It’s a fine line between sampling new eateries and being able to pay the rent. Keep an eye on your dining out budget and consider having beverages at home to save money.

Benefit: Hundreds of cafes and eateries provide delivery service.

When it comes to food, you aren’t confined to in-person dining experiences. You can enjoy hundreds of different cafes and restaurants from the comfort of your own home thanks to applications like Deliveroo and Just Eat.

Even in our Zone 3 area, Deliveroo offers over 150 delivery possibilities. And it isn’t just for lunch and dinner. There are a dozen breakfast and brunch spots around that will deliver avocado toast and chai lattes right to our house.

Drawback: Londoners flock to easily accessible beaches.

Because many Londoners do not own a car, they spend their weekends and holidays in places with good train connections to the metropolis. As a result, when the weather warms up, Brighton, Eastbourne, Margate, and other seaside areas become extremely crowded.

Benefit: The population is diverse and welcoming to expats.

According to the most recent UK census, more than one-third of Londoners are foreign-born. Hundreds of countries and languages are represented in this metropolis, giving it the feel of a genuine international capital.

One of the coolest experiences I had after landing in London was hearing so many various languages and dialects spoken around me. My neighbors are from the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, India, and Russia… I enjoy living in a major international city.

Drawback: Brexit has caused political and legal unrest.

Since the initial 2016 referendum, nationalism has been on the rise. EU residents who have lived in the UK for years are unsure whether they may stay or what their rights will be following the final discussions. And, just months before the UK is set to terminate free movement with the EU, the new points-based immigration reform is still being worked out.

If you’re an EU citizen assessing the advantages and cons of relocating to London, Brexit uncertainty will almost certainly be at the top of the “cons” list. Only time will tell how difficult it will be for the rest of us to make our London fantasies a reality.

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