Do you plan on moving to London? Or are you ready to move and looking for some advice on what to expect? Bags packed and enthusiasm through the roof? Or anxiety and many questions creeping into your head? Regardless of your plans – moving tomorrow or visiting for a few days, I hope my honest guide to living in London can help you.
I moved to London without ever visiting it beforehand and stayed for over 7 years (and counting). In this article, you can expect the good, the bad and the ugly – my honest opinion of moving to and living in one of the biggest and most controversial cities in the world.
Crime
We start with the ugly. My first day in London started in the cab that drove me down from Luton Airport into Woolwich where I was going to live temporarily. To be exact, the house I was staying in was in Thamesmead. There was a little pond with ducks right at the front door. The Thames was at the back of the house. It looked like a fairy-tale.
As soon as I dropped my bags, I walked out and headed over to the High Street. The first person to approach me was a half-naked drunk man, who stopped in front of me and with a great struggle told me: “You are very beautiful, my lady!” and then proceeded to walk off in a zig-zag pattern. I tried to look on the bright side – at least he was very polite.
Then I reached the “town centre”. There was rubbish everywhere, I was feeling that probably I was not in the safest part in London. I phoned my mom and straight up told her: “It’s not like they show London in the movies!”
Nothing bad ever happened to me in Woolwich. Also, since I lived there, the Elizabeth Line started operating and as far as I am aware, the neighbourhood is booming. Nevertheless, there are places in London I feel need to do better when it comes to safety.
Crime is a hot topic in the UK and especially in London. This massive town has not 1, but 3 police forces to look after the safety of its residents. Still, there are places I would personally avoid if I can as a lone female, especially after dark.
Gang violence is real in London and robberies do happen. I am fortunate to say that I was never a victim of such a crime, but I can also admit that a delivery driver attacked me at my own home. And this happened in Sidcup – a relevantly quiet suburban area.
This is what you should look out for:
– Phone snatchers – they might grab your phone if you are using it close to the tube doors while the train is stopped at a station. Or, they might grab your phone while you are taking a selfie in Central London. They are often on bicycles or e-scooters.
– Pickpockets – they usually go around Oxford Circus and Central London looking for valuables sticking out of pockets or open bags.
– Drink spiking – make sure you keep an eye on your drinks to avoid anyone sipping a drug or a sedative in it.
In conclusion, London is safe, but as with every big city, you have to be vigilant. Some areas, in my opinion, are rougher than others, and this is normal. Keep your phone in a safe pocket, zip up your backpack and you are good to go.
London is not the UK
London is very different from the rest of the UK. Especially when we consider the dreamy rural places in the countryside.
London is significantly more expensive. However, you always have everything at an arm’s-length.
You don’t need a car in London – public transport is reliable, some buses run 24/7, you get the night tube on Fridays and Saturdays and you usually have plenty of ways to get from A to B. In fact, I think driving around London would take you longer than using trains and the tube. If you move to the countryside, however, you need a car. In most smaller towns and villages, even your weekly shopping could be very difficult if you don’t have a vehicle.
I find London significantly more stressful, when life in the countryside moves slower and more relaxed. Anxiety is at high levels in the UK and I believe the stresses people experience living in a big city like London contribute to this number.
The smile effect: Years ago, a colleague from Manchester came for a company event in London and we did an experiment – smiling at people. It was not well received – most people in the City looked at us as if we were “not-quite-alright”. When I went to Manchester a month later, I visited my colleague who lived in the suburbs, and he did the same experiment. Everyone was smiling back at us and even starting a conversation. I have since noticed this time and time again – people in London don’t smile, but people out of London do.
Never jump the queue
No, really, just don’t. This is a thing that is just not done in the UK. I have seen the outrage and, trust me, you do not want to get involved. Stay in line, guard your spot and wait for your turn.
Tea is religion
Every time you enter an English person’s house, you will receive the same question: “Do you want a cuppa?” And it’s infectious. After 7 years in the UK, I drink significantly more tea than coffee. If you have seen my vlogs, you would know that if a hotel has tea-making facilities is a key deciding factor for me if I would book a room or not. This is the first thing I notice when I enter a hotel room.
And, yes, tea is drunk with milk. There is a division in the society about when to pour the milk and even a bigger division regarding the question: “Do you dunk your biscuit in the tea or not?”
It’s not raining all the time but what is “Sun”?
Let me bust the myth – it’s not raining all the time. However, I find the weather to be mostly gloomy and cloudy. Sometimes I feel like I haven’t seen the sun for so long, I have forgotten what it feels like to feel the sun rays on my skin. It’s as bad as resorting to taking vitamin D supplements in the colder months.
On the other hand, we have beautiful parks in London and as soon as the summer starts, I would often take advantage of the sunny days and go sunbathing in my local park. Trust me, many people do it!
You can shop cheap on Oxford Street
You can shop cheap on Oxford Street – you have a massive Primark, just opposite Marble Arch. Also, many of the stores, such as H&M and Zara, run regular sales. It gets really busy, especially during the tourist season, so bring your patience if you decide to go on a shopping spree there.
The Book of Mormon
Do not forget to go to the theatre! Musicals here are extremely popular with my personal favourite – The Book of Mormon. You can buy tickets here: https://ticketnetwork.tpo.mx/A7ttBhkn
(Through affiliate links, you support our business at no cost to yourself)
Shop tiers
Shops here are in tiers. It’s about price ranges and, according to some, quality. I shop from everywhere and I can tell you that you can buy delicious food from each shop. But to save you time, here are the tiers from cheapest to most expensive:
Aldi / Lidl – Tesco / ASDA / Morrisons – Sainsbury’s – Waitrose – Marks & Spencer
Convenience stores/Post office/Stationary store/Charge your Travelcard
We have what we call “corner shops” and they are an all-in-one solution for everything you need? Your Oyster card’s balance is running low, while you need to send a letter, and you are out of milk, and you want to buy a new notepad? Your local convenience store may be able to help you with all of the above.
Buy a SIM card from the shop (and pick your number)
I bought my first UK SIM card at a Tesco Store. With SIM providers like Lyca and Lebara, you can go to some stores and even pick your number as you can find it printed on the back of the pack.
You can buy medication from the shop
Over the counter medication like Paracetamol and Nurofen is sold in supermarkets. This was very weird to me when I first came to London. In most stores, however, you need to prove you are over the age of 18 to buy medication. Once I left my driving licence at home and my local Morrisons employees refused to sell me Paracetamol. I was 28, so I took it as a complement and even thanked the staff.
“Greggs”
This is where you go to get your sausage rolls! And your bakes! Low prices, always delicious and you can also get a cup of tea with your breakfast or snack. Recently I took some first-time London visitors to Greggs and even months later, I still hear them talk about the sausage rolls.
“Spoons?”
We all know someone who is impatiently waiting for 16:00 on a Friday to look around the office, asking: “Spoons?” No, they don’t need your cutlery set. They are trying to organise a “group outing” to the local “Wetherspoons” pub. Prices there are cheap and the food is delicious.
Advice: Ordering the “cheese” is literally a slice of cheese. Once I ordered 2 portions of “cheese” and got 2 slices of yellow cheese – each on a small plate. My colleagues still laugh about it.
Carvery
This is the best-kept culinary secret in the UK. At least, for me. Please, do yourself a favour, and head over to your local Toby’s Carvery for a roast. And remember – you can return for more veg after you finish your first place (but you are going to be so full, you are not going to need to).
1 of your 5 a day and the traffic light system for foods
In the UK, there is a traffic-lights system to let you know how healthy or unhealthy the food you buy is. You can find it on the food packaging. Usually, it’s calculated for smaller portions, not the whole pack, but the general rule is – you want all the tabs (calories, sugars, fats, etc.) to be green. Also, people here are encouraged to have 5 portions of fruit and veg every day!
Provisional licence
You can get a driver’s licence before you have ever been behind the wheel. In fact, you need one. You need a provisional licence in order to start learning how to drive. Another thing is that everyone can teach you to drive – even your friends and family. Still, make sure you display “L” plates on your car and make sure you have insurance!
Congestion charge & ULEZ
Many charges apply if you decide to drive within Central London, so make sure you know how much it will cost you before you set off. Charges vary by make and model as far as I am aware.
Online banks with no offices
Monzo, Starling and Revolut to name a few. You can open a bank account through an application on your phone. Everything you need is on the app, so you will never have to visit a bank office again.
Co-working spaces
Many offices in the City are co-working spaces, where you can rent a desk or a meeting room for just a day. So if you want to start your own gig, this could be the way for you until you can afford to hire a whole office.
“Are you okay” = There is a problem with whatever you are doing
Let’s say you are doing something odd and someone comes to you asking: “Are you okay?” – 9 times out of 10, this is not a question enquiring after your wellbeing, but a “Please stop” message they are hoping you will get and this will be the end of the matter.
Free newspapers
The Metro and the Evening Standard newspapers are free and you can pick your copy from buses and trains stations.
The tube
The Metro in London is called the Underground or simply the Tube.
No tube south of the River
The Tube network is way more developed north of the river Thames. If you are moving to a southern borough like Bexley or Bromley, you will rely mostly on train services such as Southeaster, Southern, Thameslink and Southwestern.
You don’t need an Oyster Card
Even if you are moving to London permanently, still, the cheapest way to pay for your travel is your bank card. If you need a travelcard, however, you have to load it on an Oyster card. If you want to save a big chunk of money every month, avoid adding Zone 1 to your Travelcard. If you could walk, run, cycle or even take the bus in Zone 1 and you can avoid using the Tube or the trains, this can save you about £90 per month.
Stay on the right on the escalators
This is like queueing – you just do it. People need to be able to pass by on the left if they are in a rush for their train.
Never go in the Thames
When you see the Thames, you will notice something – it’s dark brown and it looks like it’s thicker than a river should be. The Thames has strong currents, it’s freezing cold and it’s extremely polluted. Don’t enter the Thames!
The cost of living… has changed
Since I moved to London, prices have changed. My £28 weekly shopping is now £40. London is expensive. However, this is usually reflected in salaries. I would say that it would be better to live outside of London and commute for work, but then you will pay so much in train fares that it would make the whole exercise pointless.
The way I stayed afloat was through working all the time. I had my own financial business for a bit – I sold it. The buyer didn’t pay me and I had to take him to court. I have worked in finance, field sales, telecoms, education and more. I learnt to budget in a way that my bills always got paid. I made it through the pandemic living on my own in a small studio flat. I have learnt all of the above through my personal experiences.
Conclusion
Looking back, London helped me grow. I moved here on my own and it all felt like an experiment. I never thought I would be writing this article 7 years after I came to the country. I didn’t even know if I was going to make it 7 weeks here! Along the way I have met amazing people from all-around the world, I have tried food that I didn’t even know existed, I learnt to rely on myself while exploring this endless source of culture that is London.
Above you have everything I wish I knew before I moved to London. This is my honest and unfiltered opinion. But the bottom line is – everyone can make it in London, as long as they are ready to put in the hard work!
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