Overview

Living in the UK is not that expensive compared to some other European countries, although having said this it is also not the cheapest country. The cost of living will of course depend on your lifestyle and individual taste. You should still be prepared financially as sometimes it may seem that many things are expensive when you think of everything in your home currency but in relative terms this is not necessarily the case.  The salary you can earn in the UK is obviously a lot higher and therefore you can expect the cost of living to reflect this.

Have you ever considered what you spend most of your money where you are living now? Everyone at First Migration has spent time living abroad, so we fully understand what challenges you will face when you move to a new country.  The main costs that you will need to consider are:

Accommodation
Transport
Food
Entertainment
Living costs – Electricity, Gas, Water and Council Tax

It is not easy to state exactly what the costs will be for the above expenses as everyone lives a different lifestyle.  Some people like to go out all the time and take a care free attitude to money whilst others prefer to look after their money and follow a budget.

The lowest cost if you arrive in the UK and do not move in with friends and family would be about £160 per week.

Should you be arriving in the UK without organising a job, we recommend that you work out and stick to a budget.  Please note that your wages will be higher to reflect the above costs so there is no need to panic.  Your greatest expense will be for your accommodation, so consider flat or house sharing when you first arrive.  This is by far the cheapest option as you can split the bills with those that you live with.  It is also a great way to meet new people when you arrive in the UK. 

You can find adverts for places to flat/house share in all local newspapers, local news agents or at websites such as www.gumtree.com

Should you wish to find out the best ways of saving money on your travel, please go the Transport section.