Cost of Living
Like anywhere in the world you may move, your cost of living in the U.K. will depend upon the type of lifestyle you want to have. Even in the least expensive countries your cost of living may be similar to what you left in the U.S. if you want to maintain a similar lifestyle. Satisfaction with living standards in the United Kingdom is high. The country ranks thirteenth globally on both the Satisfaction with Standard of Living measure and twelfth on Access to Food and Shelter, as reported by the Legatum Institute (2012). Below is Euromonitor International’s 2011 comparison of costs for selected food items sold in the U.S. and the U.K. (Based on U.S. dollars at the 2011 exchange rate).
| Cost of Selected Food Items | U.S. | U.K. |
| Apples per Kg | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| Beer per 33cl | 0.8 | 2.5 |
| Butter per 250g | 1.9 | 2.5 |
| Flour per Kg | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| Fresh Chicken per Kg | 2.8 | 5.6 |
| Instant Coffee per 250g | 7.7 | 9.0 |
| Milk per Litre | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Potatoes per Kg | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Red Table Wine per Litre | 11.5 | 9.6 |
| Soft Drinks (Cola or Orange) per 33cl | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Sugar per Kg | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Tea per 100g | N/A | 1.3 |
The cost of living in the U.K. will vary depending on where you reside, a big city or the countryside. For example, London was ranked the twenty-fifth most expensive city in the world on Mercer’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2012.
Best Places to Live in the United Kingdom
London
One of the most popular cities in Europe, London is the capital of both England and the U.K. Located in the southeast of England, London was ranked the top city to live in the United Kingdom on Mercer’s recent Quality of Living survey and thirty-eighth out of 221 cities studied worldwide. London is a leading global city, thriving in arts and entertainment, fashion, media, tourism, commerce and education. A generally expensive city, London’s cost of living is moderate to pricey. London has a temperate climate influenced by the ocean. Often thought of as “rainy” London, the city actually receives only 23 inches of precipitation each year. The average high temperature in January is 47 F and the low is 37 F. Summers are cool with an average July high of 74 F and low of 58 F.
Cardiff
A part of the U.K. but located in the country of Wales, Cardiff is the capital and most visited destination in Wales. This city of 350,000 is known for being the commercial center of sporting institutions and has a wide range of restaurants, arts and crafts galleries, comedy clubs and children’s attractions. Called the “city of parks,” Cardiff has set aside 10 percent of its entire city area for recreational parks and gardens. In Summer 2012, Cardiff played host to 11 soccer matches for the Olympic and Paralympics games. Cardiff’s mild weather conditions are partly due to its sheltered position on the north side of the Bristol Channel, but mostly to exposure to warmer Atlantic currents. January highs in Cardiff average 47 F and lows 36 F. Summers are quite cool with an average high of 71 F and low of 56 F. Much more precipitation falls in Cardiff than London, 45 inches each year.
Glasgow
Located in Scotland’s lowlands on the River Clyde, Glasgow is the third largest city in the U.K. and a multi-cultural city with many historical attractions and architecture. Glasgow is one of Europe’s top ten financial centers and was ranked as the fifty-seventh most livable city in the world in Mercer’s Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. The city is home to some of the best shopping in the northern U.K. and has 20 historic and innovative museums. Nearly as far north as Copenhagen, Glasgow has a reasonably mild climate, due to oceanic influence. In January, the average high is 44 F and the low 35 F. July warms up a bit to 67 F with a low of 54 F. Glasgow collects a lot of precipitation, nearly 49 inches each year.
Birmingham
Located in the west midlands of England, Birmingham is the second largest metropolitan city in the U.K. after London. Birmingham is a major international commercial center and an important transport, retail, events and conference hub. Its three universities and two university colleges make it the largest center of higher education in the U.K. outside of London. The city offers culture with historical architecture. For example, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts all enjoy international reputations. Of note, the city’s Big City Plan for redevelopment has been undertaken to make Birmingham a top 20 most livable city in the world in 20 years. Birmingham’s climate is similar to London’s, just a bit cooler. January highs average 44 F and lows 34 F. In July, the average high temperature is 70 F and the low 53 F. Average annual precipitation is 26 inches.
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