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Hello,

I'm waiting contract offer for job based in London.

Can someone tell me please, what are approximane life expenses in London per month...just from-to.

Also, what will be the min. acceptable annual salary for London for normal life and some savings?

Thanks!

MJ wrote:Hello,

I'm waiting contract offer for job based in London.

Can someone tell me please, what are approximane life expenses in London per month...just from-to.

Also, what will be the min. acceptable annual salary for London for normal life and some savings?

Thanks!

You need a LOT!

The rent per month for just a small single room in a fairly nice part of town but out of the centre will be between £1000 and £1500. (If you are sharing) Add to this the cost of transportation each day, which can be as much as £30 on public transport, food (very expensive!) and many of the other hidden costs and you would need to clear a minimum of £2500 - £3000 per month (after any taxable deductions which will be about 30% of your wages) and this is just to survive, not save!

Best of luck!



Knight

Dubai Knight wrote:

MJ wrote:Hello,

I'm waiting contract offer for job based in London.

Can someone tell me please, what are approximane life expenses in London per month...just from-to.

Also, what will be the min. acceptable annual salary for London for normal life and some savings?

Thanks!

You need a LOT!

The rent per month for just a small single room in a fairly nice part of town but out of the centre will be between £1000 and £1500. (If you are sharing) Add to this the cost of transportation each day, which can be as much as £30 on public transport, food (very expensive!) and many of the other hidden costs and you would need to clear a minimum of £2500 - £3000 per month (after any taxable deductions which will be about 30% of your wages) and this is just to survive, not save!

Best of luck!



Knight

Thanks!

So, 2000-3000 monthly life costs. What about 1br flats per month then if room is 1500!?

it depends on location in london, but a decent one bedroom flat would cost anywhere between 1000-1500. Alot of them would have all bills inclusive in that price.. Rent, electric, water, council tax, internet etc... Some may exclude 1 or 2.

London transport is a nightmare, if you are a rider, id consider getting a motorbike and riding it to work.

As for minimum salary, it all depends on where you live, and what you are trying to achieve. I could easily just say 50k or something lol.

both above posters are near enough spot on, but i would er' on the caution and add 10%.

Dont forget in UK there is a huge difference between gross salary and net salary, basically factor in tax @ 20% upto £32k then 40% above that and national insurance @ 11%.


The cost of public transport is horrendous in the capital.

Thanks guys.

I know that is dificoult to say but some numbers will help.

Company is in Fenchurch Street so can you suggest living areas relatively near with "good" prices and normal neighborhood?

Thanks!

Nearest tube is Tower Hill so for an easy commute, anything on the district line. Sadly looking at the tube map there doesn't look like too many cheap areas. Acton in Zone 3 is ok and you'll get a cheaper flat than Earls Court for example.

Not too far from the DLR either, you may get a good house share in Canary Wharf with some city workers. A friend does this and it's all good if the area is a little souless. Don't really know other areas on the DLR.

If you want to push the boat out a bit, Kew, Richmond is a nice (and expensive) area that you could commute from and Greenwich on the DLR seems a nice little pocket of South London.

Gumtree, a charged up Oyster card and comfy trainers though is your best bet for finding somewhere nice to stay in London.

FTD's post says it all, an excellent summary with wit

nice one

glad to help

The Greenwich area and surrounding boroughs are a good bet if you are getting into Fenchurch St. (City). Plumstead, Woolwich, Dulwich all have some reasonable accommodation prices.

You could also look at anywhere a little further out that can be reached from the main railway line. Think Tottenham and that area come into Fenchurch St.? Been a long time since this Knight lived it up in the Big Smoke!



Knight

Thanks guys!

Expecting salary should be around 65000 per year.

What do you think, is that amount enough for a normal life and some savings?

MJ wrote:Thanks guys!

Expecting salary should be around 65000 per year.

What do you think, is that amount enough for a normal life and some savings?

You could live on it, but it would only be a small piggy bank. Don't forget, you will lose nearly 40% of that in income tax.



Knight

deduct around £25,000 in tax and national insurance

Must be a shock for people moving from the middle east to the UK where they have to give their hard earned cash to the tax man!!

zloog wrote:Must be a shock for people moving from the middle east to the UK where they have to give their hard earned cash to the tax man!!

Not really. At least the UK is open about raping our pockets. here its done much more subtly, but its all the same in the end.



Knight

the OP asked about London not the whole UK.....

Piece of string springs to mind. However I'll throw in what it costs me and my family and maybe that will help you for reference:

Rent: 3 bedroom semi detached with garden - £1300PCM (SE9)
Council Tax: For waste removal, street services et al - £120PCM
Utilities: Gas and Lecky with the same provider - £100PCM
Water: Watse and Supply - £15PCM
Travel: Zone 1-4 travelcard for one month - £100
Food: Family of three monthly shopping bill in Sainsbury's - £400PCM
Petrol: £1 / litre for unleaded (best to try and do without a car as I did)
Broadband: Maximum £20 PCM (try to set up a deal with TV and phone and get it for free)
TV: Out-dated TV license still costs £10PCM (all terrestrial stations plus 'free view')
Cable TV: Sky Package with sports and films - £45PCM

Hope that helps, it can be very expensive to live in London. Obviously this depends on where you live, what you like doing, how much you like to go out etc.

South London is generally cheaper (unless you're in Dulwich Village or Wimbledon). Places with no Tube will be cheaper (but dont let that put you off as there are hundreds of Bus services and mainline Train services). If you get a Travelcard you can use ALL public transport without worrying about more money.

Places like Mayfair or Westminster are equal in cost to Dubai.....

GBP65,000 gross, with give you about GBP44,320 net after tax and National Insurance. http://listentotaxman.com/

for an ideal on rent prices look at -

www.findaproperty.com

If you ever thought Dubai was expensive, and full of traffic, then you're going to a get a shock in London. Plus, it rains every week.

However, London is a fantastic place.

depends on, dont be afraid.

I know I'm a bit late with this but my 2c.

Like in Dubai "enough" is variable. I know people here in Dubai who say they "couldn't live on less than 50,000 dhs/month". If you're one of those people then 65k in London probably won't meet your expectations.

If you need to have a Mercedes/BMW/etc and a top end flat in the best part of town, designer clothes each month and expect to put away a few thousand in savings then it won't be enough.

If you want to rent a decent 1 bedroom flat (I'm assuming from the question that you don't have kids), are sensible and don't buy a car as you don't need one in London and don't go silly with luxuries then 65k is really a very nice amount of money to be on, you won't have any money worries.