Cost of Living: US vs. UK
How will the cost of living compare in the UK to where you are now?
General Cost of Living
You've probably stumbeled across the comparison of costs of living between New York and London. If you're a New Yorker looking to move to London, congratulations, the cost of living is lower in London and you've got boatloads of blogs showing you the cost comparison.
But not all of us are in New York looking to move to London. Some of us are in Birmingham, Alabama looking to move to Birmingham, UK. Others are moving from Minneapolis, MN to Manchester, UK. You're probably not going to find a lot online about how those cities' costs compare.
I've got the perfect tool for you! The absolute authority on cost of living comparisons is a website called Numeo. https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp is a cost of living calculator that allows you to get a good overall picture of how the costs compare in different cities.
Cost of Food:
After living abroad for years, I can share my top tip for reducing your grocery bills abroad: EAT AS THE LOCALS DO!
No, you don't need to adapt to blood pudding for breakfast! But, you'll loose your shirt trying to buy American Mac & Cheese and fruit snacks in the UK. Opt for local brands and produce where possible. Remember, you're in a new country, enjoy the local flavours and your tastebuds and wallet will be rewarded.
Check out this YouTube video that essentially proves that groceries are somehow cheaper in the UK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqu4F9PhDsc
Taxes(Don’t freak out: just keep reading):
First: Bite the bullet and read up on general tax comparisons: https://www.taxesforexpats.com/country_guides/uk/us-tax-preparation-in-uk.html
The Salary Calculator has some great tools to help you calculate take-home pay and explain the difference in taxes hitting your paycheck here: https://blog.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/paye/tax/comparison-of-uk-and-usa-take-home/
Healthcare: The NHS:
No doubt you've heard of the NHS, the National Health Service. Essentially, it's a publicly funded healthcare system that ensures that all residents of the UK are cared for.
I spent my first few years in the UK not taking advantage of the NHS. Sure, I knew I was paying for it with taxes coming out of my paycheck, but since I'm American, I've been in the habit of not seeing a doctor unless absolutely necessary. Then, I found out that my husband and I were expecting our first child. I had to do more than dip my toe in the water with the NHS. Due to some complications with my pregnancy, I was seeing doctors constantly for several months. Eventually, I gave birth to a happy, healthy girl and we walked out of the hospital without any bill. None. I don't have to tell you how that compares to the US!
I mentioned that the NHS is publicly funded through taxes and you'll see that come out of your paycheck if you're working in the UK. But you should also know that you'll likely need to pay a healthcare surcharge as a part of your immigration application to the UK. Don't read blogs for this, guys. Go straight to the Home Office for the latest guidance: https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-pay
Education Costs in the UK versus the US:
In general, you'll find that the cost of higher education is less in the UK versus the US. There are many internationally highly ranked universities in the UK that offer programs comparable to top universities in the US at a reduced cost.
https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-abroad/guide/uk-usa-education-system/ is a great resource for reviewing the high level differences between the two countries.
