Walking over the London bridge, soaking in the megacity’s football-loving vibes, or enjoying a lavish English Breakfast.
Image Courtesy: Charles Postiaux
There are multitudes of inspirations to move to London.
Healthcare services are fantastic, commuting is easy (there’s a tube every two minutes. No more sprinting to work), and the autumn-winter season is even better than the one movies depict.
Work or otherwise, moving to London is a good decision.
However, every expatriate does face challenges while relocating to a new unknown place.
Here are a few tips to help you make the shifting a breeze.
Image Courtesy: Ed Robertson
London is a cosmopolitan city and like most, properties are expensive.
Try different rented accommodations to get a feel of the area. Do not rush into buying one, as buying/ selling is an arduous and expensive process.
For speaking terms, Londoners divide the city into North, South, East, and West regions. Central London is the heart bustling with activities and sees a lot more footfall from tourists.
The closer you’re to Central London, the more you’ll have to shell out in accommodation expenses.
Proximity to Crossrail, station, and busy intersections influences the prices upwardly.
Property costs are changing rapidly.
Read your property lease papers thoroughly and make sure you follow it. Following the 30% rule helps you live with ease.
By 30% rule we mean, aim to spend 30% of your gross monthly income on accommodation.
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If you carried any stereotype about London food as being unsuitable for your specific palate, it is time your discard the prejudice.
This multicultural city, with over 10 million people, is home to 64 Michelin starred restaurants.
There are restaurants serving speciality cuisine from almost every country on earth.
While you might say that it doesn’t taste as good as what your mom cooked, the London food scene is definitely more evolved. You won’t be missing your daily staples for sure.
Your grocery expenses might soar high or dip down, depending on the region you come from.
For example, cheese here is inexpensive if you’re coming from Canada. Fine dining and wine can feel pretty expensive to the expat from the US.
There are grocery stores for every budget and delivery cost is usually below £5. Londoners often order groceries online.
You might too, considering the low-to-nil delivery charges on bulk order.
You can also shop from the local farmers’ markets to cut costs further.
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Whether commuting to work daily or getting around sightseeing on weekends, London makes you feel comfortable with its one-of-the-largest urban transport systems in the world.
The 32 boroughs of the megacity are well-connected through buses, roads, and river systems. Besides the much-appreciated tube, there are iconic double-decker buses, trams, cycle hire schemes, local trains, Docklands Light Railway, and river buses to get you anywhere safely.
Whether you are new to London or have been here before, hiring a mover makes much sense.
A prolific mover knows the initial hiccups usually faced by immigrants and will help you iron them out.
From legal paperwork to finding suitable properties, a professional mover will access your needs and make personalized plans accordingly.
If you wish to make your relocation breezy without any major disruptions, hire a reputed London house mover. You’ll be doing yourself a favour.
Image Courtesy: Christian Battaglia
For a single person, relocating can be scary.
It gets lonely since you’re away from friends and family.
However, there are few great options to socialize in London.
Sign up on Meetup.com to participate in free meetup events. London is brimming with pubs where you can meet a lot of interesting people.
You can look up for social clubs like Spice and Citysocializer too.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you in moving to London swiftly.
Have you been living in London for a while?
How did you feel initially?
Comment below.
