Non-Londoners, what sort of a salary increase would convince you to relocate there?

[artemisdubois]

As per the thread title, how much more would you need to be paid in order to convince you to relocate to London (Central)?

Of course the main reason I'm asking is that I'm in this situation at the moment of considering two different jobs. I'm early-thirties, engaged to a man who can run his company from anywhere with good internet and would be amenable to the move. We don't have strong family ties to our current home city, though we'd be a lot further from them if we moved to London.

Taking into account the massively-increased cost of living, commuting time and costs, busier lifestyle and other probably basic differences I'm yet to consider, it's quite complex. I'd love to hear opinions and what your price might be - I'm sure for a lot of people no amount of money would be enough.

£200,000 a year income, to buy a good size house in an area we like, costing about £700,000. We don't have that sadly! If we didn't want to buy a house, much less.

I moved from London (born there) to another big city. I loved living there but I wouldn't move back unless I was exceedingly rich. I wouldn't want to sacrifice my large house and excellent schools so think I'd need to earn six figures with DH the same.

It seems ridiculous but I think that's because London housing is ridiculously expensive.

Do you have children? Like others on this thread, I commuted into London in my younger days and have now settled for less money and more quality of life and wouldn't go ba k. In your position, if you don't have DC I'd consider doing it, say , for a couple of years, just to see for yourself what its like, as much as anything. Would your job allow some working from home?

Also... not sure I'd want to live in central, I did as a student and my partner was born in zone 1 - much nicer to be somewhere with a bit of community... zone 2 or 3 rather than somewhere full of tourists and rip off places.

I’d have to be earning at least 100k. And even then it would be temporary, my plan would be to save up for a few years then buy a posh house somewhere cheaper up north.

Been there and done it. I wouldn’t go back. Not for all the tea in China.

Nothing as i would never ever move anywhere near London.

It really depends whether you'd love to live in London or not.

I live in central London and wouldn't live anywhere else regardless of how much money I might (would) save by moving elsewhere.

We moved out 15 years ago, would want 500k to move back compared to what we earn now in the burbs. That’s honestly what it would take.

None! I'm a country bumpkin!

I took a pay cut (of 6k) to move to London.

I have never been happier and while the job I moved for didn't work out long term the one I'm doing now means moving here was the best thing I ever did.

@redbedheadd and @ihadedto This would be a big consideration. We own our house outright (it's in a fairly desirable area for rentals), and if we moved to London wouldn't necessarily be planning on staying for more than a few years. I wouldn't want to rush into selling our current home, though at the same time property in London would probably be a better investment.

So many miserable posts.

OP it's tough because most people say they'd never move (or would need a ridiculous amount to move) and then there are people like me and a few others who would never leave.

London is an amazing city. It's expensive, cramped, dirty, stressful, yes I get that. But there's a reason that so many people live here...either for the love of the city or for the opportunity. I love it (can you tell?!).

No amount of money!

If you already own and are planning on keeping the house then do it, London is great for a few years, especially when you know you can escape if your circumstances change

we have paid off our mortgage I'm a bit old to get a new mortgage we live in rural scotland nice large house large garden as I can't get another mortgage I would need a similar house so a moving package of about 600K would be the starting point to stay the same then of course everything costs more, a house here that costs 400K would be nearer 2 million in central london and it would almost certainly still not be detached with garden on all 4 sides
so no in the real world I can't afford to move to London even for a 200K job because I would still be downsizing house and quality of life wise. where I am now I can live comfortably as mortgage free on 25-30K no one is going to offer me a similar job at 8 times the salary so it's ridiculous also I would miss the sea, the lochs the hills Ben Lomond, etc etc too much I know I am happier here with 25K+ than I would be in London with 200K
to me London is nice for a short break every 10 years like going to Rome or Paris, nice to take DD to see British Museum, V&A and a few other things but she loves the wild spaces her own wee wood and dens she can lie in wild bluebells and stare at the sky in her own garden just not comparable

To be honest you couldn't persuade me to move to central Glasgow I go with work about once a fortnight it is enough!!!!

Why is it miserable? Honestly I find posts like yours so bizarre. I grew up and lived in London for years. You seem to think that your opinion is the only one that is correct?

I answered honestly, really sorry that you don’t like my answer.

As someone who works in London and lives on the outskirts (but regularly fantasises about moving out) this thread is quite fascinating.

I currently work for an organisation which has offices based all over the country but staff in the London office get the grand sum of £3k a year extra...

That was to ilovewinterpansies

Do people outside of London think we all do grocery shops at Harrods? I'm really surprised by people thinking you need hundreds of thousands for a comfortable life.

Housing prices are the tricky part - if you're looking to buy you'd likely have to take on a much bigger mortgage for a comparable property (or for rent, though it's not such a huge issue as you don't need such a huge difference in savings).

I absolutely love living here. We’re zone 3 and it’s leafy, green, great schools, really community minded. It’s also only 15 minutes into Central London.

I earn £60k and my husband £90k and we’re very comfortable with our own house on a quiet street 5 mins from train.

Many of the people here seem to have no clue what living in London is like and are just having a kneejerk reaction.

this is what you can get for 350K near me, I just think anything remotely similar in London would be millions

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59581248.html

@teacupdrama yes and for many people living so remotely would be their worst nightmare. Hence the cheap price tag!

If you have no burning desire to be in London and it won't help with career progression then why are you considering it?