Pros and Cons of Living in London as an American

[@TheRoadWereOn]

Still dreaming up a visit!! 🎉 can’t wait to see more of your London experience ❤

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Can’t wait for you to visit! And can’t wait to share more ❤️🇬🇧

[@bitsandblocks7826]

UK uses 240v vs 120v so a lot more safety features on the outlets including the switches and no outlets near water. There are also upsides, kettles are common here as they boil quickly. In the US they are not as they take way too long to boil at 120v. Great video, glad you’re enjoying your time here. Wages in London while higher than rest of UK don’t compensate for cost of living so many can be better off living in other parts of UK.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Yes I completely agree, wages are very low in London compared to cost of living. It’s crazy!! Thanks so much for your comment :)

[@2eleven48]

All fair comments about the 'cons' of living in London. It's expensive and can be a terrible place to live, with many areas of squalor. The greatest 'pro' is that London is the greatest city in the world. Nothing has much changed over the many many years of its life.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks for confirming my cons!! And I agree- London is just absolutely incredible, I love it so much :)

[@stevenstone307]

What makes London the best city in the world? I've lived here 26 years, it absolutely is not.

[@2eleven48]

@@stevenstone307 ....Well, thanks for replying to my comment which makes it clear London has many bad aspects, as any great city must have. So I'm puzzled that you have stuck with the place for 26 years. Maybe you'd like to say why. I'm not having a go, I'm just curious. Robert, uk.

[@lauraholland347]

I've lived in London over 40 years, and I still learn new things about it every week. I'm glad you mentioned the extremely low wages, it's something very few people think about when moving here-it makes many people miserable, and often leaves them trapped. Also the very high cost of transport is something few people realise before arriving. It doesn't rain every other day though, you are definitely exaggerating-we can go a week or more with no rain. The huge amount of people who move here, or try to move here has driven the price of flats (apartments)for decades and decades-part of the problem, not part of the solution there.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much for watching and your comment! Yeah I’m not sure how people survive off these salaries, it’s crazy!

[@BeckyPoleninja]

No outlets in the bathroom due to UK voltage being twice as powerful as U.S.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Yes! So crazy!

[@johnorchin8567]

I think that was a very fair appraisal of London, it’s particularly true areas can vary so much just streets apart. I think the most stark difference in my mind is Camden Town and Primrose Hill, which have a completely different atmosphere, yet they are right next to each other.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Yes that’s a great example! Such a different atmosphere right next to each other! Glad you agree :)

[@gmdhargreaves]

Great content❤

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much! :)

[@Reporterfy]

I’m enjoying the vlogs great work

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much!! :)

[@ppfarj]

I totally agree with your impressions of London 100%. I absolutely love London to bits and I enjoyed most of my 9 years living there but the rent got so ridiculously expensive that eventually I decided to relocate to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Too bad Dublin has also had to deal with an accommodation crisis lately and the cost of living has become as expensive as in London or more. Anyway, hope you make the most of your London life. Keep exploring the coolest parts of the city and posting your adventures on youtube! :)

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Aw thank you so much! Yeah I love living here, but it is crazy expensive. And I have tons of Irish friends here who specifically moved here because they said it’s cheaper than Dublin funnily enough!

[@TimBadger-w7d]

LA is way more expensive than London from personal experience. I just bought a loaf of bread and it cost $22.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Yeah groceries in LA specifically are INSANE

[@taylors2661]

trying to convince my mom we should do a trip to visit this year! looks so fun!

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I hope you do! It’s an amazing city!!

[@jackjames3190]

Interesting video but you need to understand that pay may be lower than their us counterparts but Brits don’t have to worry about healthcare insurance deductibles and all that nonsense because healthcare is free the same way education is free. You can go private if you want to and get treated quicker but no one has any stress about being able to afford healthcare - it’s there if and when it’s needed. Sure the NHS has problems but it’s keeping Brits alive for longer and at better level of overall health compared to our American cousins who are being fleeced and charged insane prices by health insurers and big pharma, along with the added stress and and bankruptcy that’s thrown in stateside. By law British workers get 28 days paid holiday a year and if a Brit is sick or unwell their employers are required by law to tell them to stay home until well agin which they do with sick pay - you don’t have to get someone to cover for you and you aren’t resented for being away - both of those are virtually unheard of in America - no laws to protect the worker it’s all about the employers and what THEY are prepared to give you - the luck of the draw. You’ve also ignored the fact that most groceries are way cheaper in the uk - fresher produce that’s far more healthy with less additives colouring and or preservatives than their American equivalents. Other than that - good video 👌

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Fair points! Thanks for watching!

[@markreid7]

True but most young people without kids never use their health insurance in the US so they don’t consider that. Now the student loans definitely take their toll on young people here.

[@Jay-Kay-Buwembo]

​@@markreid7 This isn't true I have seen 30 yer olds in the states go bankrupt because of illness, one lady had a car crash & her injuries bankrupted her.

[@markreid7]

@@Jay-Kay-Buwembo I’m talking on average. Rarely do they use their healthcare and especially males. There are always some that need it.

[@Torric25]

I am an American who moved to the UK; specifically NYC to London. most of what you said is true except to be frank, Americans are far wealthier than Brits. This is true both from my first hand experience and by stats. Maybe Starmer can fix it, but the UK is poor by American standards. We have 2 passports and I recommend my anglo-american children move back to states for work

[@CollectiveWest1]

A fair summary. You have done well to have lived in so many different cities already. About the age of some things here, yes, there are some visible connections with the Roman Empire. Parts of the City Wall were built on Roman foundations, there are remains of a Mithraic temple and of course there are Roman and neolithic sites outside London. History is all around in many areas. For example this year I visited a small suburb called Waltham Abbey, which has very few tourists but has an historic church favoured by King Harold before 1066 and with Norman-era columns at its heart (so, dating from 11th or 12th century CE or AD). London is expensive but there are deals if you look around and it is not quite fair to compare cost of a travel pass for Madrid (a great city but much smaller than London). London is a very mixed city - even Chelsea has relatively unpleasant bits. So, understanding location for living is very important.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much for sharing this and watching!! :)

[@kerrythompson5290]

I love visiting London for the weekend and seeing a musical but would never want to live there permanently. It’s just not for me! I’m from the West Yorkshire area and much prefer living in the countryside.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! It’s so interesting to see where everyone comes from and how that impacts what they prefer in life. I’m from LA, so it’s hard to picture myself not living in a big city!! Lol

[@hothotheat3000]

I stayed there recently to visit a friend and I really enjoyed my time there. It felt more laid back than NYC. It’s well connected in terms of travel, so you could easily pop to Paris for a day by Eurostar. We had breakfast in London, went to Paris for lunch, and bought some groceries to take back to make dinner. I love live theatre and the West End is amazing. People are, overall, pretty friendly. It’s insanely expensive, but you gotta pay to play.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I agree it’s definitely more laid back than NYC and so well connected for traveling! The expenses are worth it :) thanks so much for sharing your experience :)

[@michaelsix9684]

so grateful for this video, love to live in London for a yr.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I’m glad you found it helpful! It’s been an amazing year, so excited for the next one :)

[@robharris8844U]

Its not BAD WEATHER - Its temperate weather.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Hahahaha whatever you want to label it, it’s not great 6 months out of the year😂

[@robharris8844U]

@@SheRunTheWorld Maybe but it keeps the foliage green and lovely 😍

[@TimBadger-w7d]

I’ve suffered more really bad weather living here in LA than decades living in The UK.

[@robharris8844U]

@@TimBadger-w7d Well that is it, yes it may feel there is a lot of rain ( but actually, many countries have more precipitation) but the payoff is that reaaly bad weather is rare. Also UK does not suffer earthquakes and duststorms. Its temperate - easy to cope with, than in other countries.

[@vonHolzwege]

Nice video. We are contemplating a move to London (from the NYC area). We are 'super adults', so some of the cons don't apply to us. The tube is free for the over 65s. We don't need jobs. We can buy, rather than rent. We are used to the high cost of living, and weather where we live is not that much different -- except it does not get as cold in the winter or hot in the summer as where we are. So, if the NHS is properly funded (there is a downside to being old), we should be good to go.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

That’s amazing! I do think coming from NYC gives you a huge advantage because like you said cost of living, size of housing, and weather is pretty similar! But in all honesty I think London is cleaner and nicer than NYC, so hopefully you find the same if you decide to move here! I’ve loved living here the past year :)

[@stephenrussell6074]

You should take a few trips out to some of the most popular commuter zones and see the benefits of a nice commute area. Somewhere like Manchester or Leeds is better if you like an outdoor lifestyle. With Manchester in reach of Wales, the Peak District, the Yorkshire dales and the Lake District all not much more than an hour away. Leeds is longer for Wales but adds a closer Scotland.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Good idea! I definitely should. I went out to St. Albans and it was ok! I just love the big city vibe, so not sure how I’ll like not living in the big city. But thanks for sharing the tips on Manchester and Leeds! :)

[@Smoezone]

Thankyou for the critical evaluation. I think it is more rather subjective like you said. People from Asian countries would take an opportunity with open arms as they find it difficult to even enter the UK. Hope you cover more stuff. You've earned a sub !

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Exactly, to each their own!! Thanks so much for watching and subscribing :)

[@Lemonnnoomsno]

What an arrogant statement lmao. Not every Asian country is trying to rush over to join the UK. Be humble

[@Smoezone]

@@Lemonnnoomsno I agree with you. Some prefer other western countries and some like it the middle east. It is indeed subjective. Apologies for the misintepretation. Peace !

[@dname1802]

I live in a 800 sq ft apartment for 1500 dollars, so will be difficult to adjust to the price and size 😂. But the ability to explore London and surrounding areas without a rush is a huge plus point 😊. I feel like we can say that about many European cities. For that alone I would love to live in London.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Wow yeah that would definitely be a hard adjustment 😂 but that’s exactly it! Once you tell yourself this is temporary just so I can have a home base while I slowly travel Europe for a few years it does become easier. Because you know you’ll eventually have that space/price back! lol

[@markreid7]

100% true on wages. I assume prices are high due to high tourism.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Ya I can’t figure out how their wages are so low and rent is so high. Crazy to me!

[@Torric25]

As a well-off professional with a family, the quality of life in and around London is far superior to NYC. Id say La Jolla San Diego is probably better than London but not much else in the US is very attractive.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I haven’t lived in NYC, but I’d agree with you! Also La Jolla is one of my favorite places in the world - I’d live there if I could afford it lol

[@jjohanesson9139]

Very fair, balanced and accurate.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks so much, I appreciate it!!

[@christophergilbert168]

Hey, great video. how did you move from the States to London? assuming you applied for a visa?

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thank you! No my dad is from here so I have dual citizenship. But I have a video coming later in November of all the visa options you can use to move here! So stay tuned for that :)

[@christophergilbert168]

@@SheRunTheWorld thanks

[@johnjakson444]

There are many cities in the UK just as nice to live in as London and vastly less expensive to live in, and the pay isn't very lower for most people a so a better quality of life.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

It depends what you’re looking for! I’ve been exploring a lot of other cities in the UK to see if there’s anywhere else I could see myself living to save some money - and none compare to London in my opinion! Just the amount of food & transport options, things to do, and vibe! Unmatched!!

[@StephenRobertd]

Brillant vlogg always glad you are enjoying your dream job in England 🇬🇧 be safe and happy in England 🇬🇧 always have a happy Halloween 🎃 and a great holiday hristmas and new year as well in 2024 😊 thanks for message us back everything l message you back on utube 😊😊😊 bless you always a kind humble lady 🎉 😊

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thank you!☺️

[@HazelnutRiver]

Well done 👍🏽

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thank you!!

[@nollieheel214aim]

That train travel to Paris, Amsterdam and Scotland alone beats the USA…. Our transportation system sucks in most cities in the USA…We suck😂

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I agree! Train travel in Europe is amazing I wish we had something similar in the US. But to be fair we are WAY bigger so I understand it’s a lot more difficult and trains would take so long

[@benzytv]

Kensington & Chelsea sits quite high in the crime rate statistics.... FYI...

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks for your comment

[@TimBadger-w7d]

The description of British weather is very misleading. It’s definitely not grey all the time.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Starting in November is what I said! So the winter months, I’d say that’s pretty accurate 😂 not year round

[@dname1802]

Just curious, how do you rank living in Austin compared to other US states?

[@SheRunTheWorld]

It’s my husbands favorite place we’ve ever lived - and we’ve been living in different countries for nearly 6 years now. I did love it, it’s a fantastic city! The only thing I missed when we lived there was the beach - I’m a huge beach person. The river helped a little bit, but still not the same!!

[@TimBadger-w7d]

London is definitely the capital.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Yup

[@Dr.AustinBlanchon]

Wow you think there’s more to do in London compared to Los Angeles

[@SheRunTheWorld]

@@Dr.AustinBlanchon ya I think so! Because what people don’t realize is what they think of as “Los Angeles” is actually made up of a ton of cities: Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, downtown Los Angeles itself….. whereas the things to do in London are just in London! So much to do, all very close to each other not spread out in surrounding cities!!

[@kevansxi90]

$234 vs. $600 / month car payment? Meh. It works out.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I don’t get it?

[@ckzf1842]

London is one of the MAJOR cities in the World , and English- speaking ( and English is , factually, THE language of the World ) , so it is going to be expensive ( esp. if you live in “Chelsea “ ) . I live in Notting Hill - which is now quite an expensive place to live in , but ( very ) nearby Queensway and Bayswater may be quite a bit more economical to live in( and with GREAT parks nearby as well ) !

[@SheRunTheWorld]

It is! And Notting Hill is a lovely borough, but you’re right - super pricey!!

[@thenewpew1140]

Do you pay taxes in both the uk and America?

[@SheRunTheWorld]

@@thenewpew1140 no just the UK! The U.S. has a double taxation agreement with tons of countries around the world for its citizens so you don’t get taxed twice

[@TimBadger-w7d]

You lived in Vietnam but don’t know the capital is Hanoi.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I’m fully aware! Just misspoke thanks

[@erikaharris3517]

Are getting jobs on london hard?

[@SheRunTheWorld]

If you don’t have the right to work there yes! It’s very hard to find a company who will sponsor a visa for you

[@lloydfrancis9149]

I'm from London born and bred W12 W10 Notting Hill Gate of Caribbean West Indian descent and she is right 👍 the thing that annoys me is that London England is not even Christian anymore. To be honest MOST of my English British friends White and Black have moved to Barbados and West Indies 😂 playing cricket in the sun drinking rum 😂 and Sailing in Antigua. London is just not London anymore especially Central London. London is NOT England so be warned your just visiting so you won't understand its Russian Oligarchs and knife crime

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Thanks for your comment

[@TimBadger-w7d]

Clearly you’ve not been to Chelsea 😂

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I have!

[@TimBadger-w7d]

Public transport is free in London.

[@SheRunTheWorld]

I wish

[@BisonAffinity]

England is a super green country, like just in its vegetation and general foliage. Its maybe the only benefit of its otherwise shit weather

[@SheRunTheWorld]

Very true!! Haha