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Original poster

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

177 replies

artemisdubois · 14/05/2019 21:03

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.

OP posts:
Devaki · 14/05/2019 22:18

No amount of money. I like the fact that my kids go to the the local village school and have a rural country life. London would be fun when we retire but now definitely not.

Original poster
artemisdubois · 14/05/2019 22:19

@Crunchymum, because I've been offered >2.5x my current salary for pretty much the same job Confused

OP posts:
horizontalis · 14/05/2019 22:25

At least a hundred grand a year should do it. I'd stick it out for a year/18 months and then walk away.

We live within reasonable commuting distance, so wouldn't have to move.

Bringonspring · 14/05/2019 22:29

London is the greatest city. It’s brilliant raiding my children here. We both earn £100k though. It’s mainly housing which is the cost. We’re in zone 2 so cycle to work etc

Bringonspring · 14/05/2019 22:29

Clearly I mean raising! Not raiding!!!!!

PrawnoftheShed · 14/05/2019 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Atalune · 14/05/2019 22:32

I don’t know what the figure would be- I mean there would be a minimum obviously but that would be about rent, living costs, etc. Also it sounds like you have shared finances for some of that with your partner. So that means you need to think about that too.

But I love London! So if the sums added up I would go for it in a beat!

SpoonBlender · 14/05/2019 22:32

Third of a million and up. I'd want to be able to retire in three years off it.

PrawnoftheShed · 14/05/2019 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SkiingIsHeaven · 14/05/2019 22:34

There is nothing that would convince me to work in London.

I am a country girl through and through.

I don't mind visiting but no chance would I relocate.

BikeRunSki · 14/05/2019 22:36

I grew up in central London (SW1). I left in 1989, and have no intention of returning.

Atalune · 14/05/2019 22:38

What’s the offer?

If it’s over 100k then it’s good!

swirlette · 14/05/2019 22:39

£80-100k - if it was going to be for a few years and I was going to rent, that would be enough for me to rent in the area I'd want to be in. I had a great lifestyle in London on £50k, but where I lived wasn't as nice so to go back I'd need to be able to change that.

lhw92 · 14/05/2019 22:39

Maybe 40k (just a guess)
I’m single without children, I obviously wouldn’t be able to live central with that (wouldn’t want to anyway) but I’d hope that would be enough to live comfortably there

I’ve never lived in London but wish I could!

LolaSmiles · 14/05/2019 22:40

No amount of money would persuade me as a long term (more than 12-18 months) option. That's mainly because I'm not attracted to the city lifestyle at all.

As a short term option, I'd want to earn enough to live the same, or similar, lifestyle and the opportunity would need yo be something that would give my career a boost when I moved back out.

PickAChew · 14/05/2019 22:41

Hmm, our house out in Essex, or even Walthamstow, would be more than 4 times what we paid for it.

Then there's the boys' special schools. And their EHCPs, for that matter, so scratch Essex.

I think I'd give it a miss altogether.

But you clearly don't have the ties to where you are that we have, OP, so if taking that job is a great opportunity for you and you can rent out your curent property, I'd say go for it.

Atalune · 14/05/2019 22:41

£40k would get you diddly squat.

Redwinestillfine · 14/05/2019 22:41

I wouldn't ever, and made it clear to DH when I first met him that if he wanted to that would be fine but I'd be staying put.

RandomMess · 14/05/2019 22:43

Lived close to London now live far away.

£100k increase minimum due to housing costs alone, virtually mortgage free here. Even with that salary we would have to significantly downsize and max out the mortgage Confused

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 14/05/2019 22:43

Currently on £38, this sustains is nicely as a family of five in the north west.

It would need to be maybe five times that for it to be sustainable. Current mortgage is low at the moment but most £££ would be needed for debts.

stucknoue · 14/05/2019 22:44

To live our lifestyle in London we would need at least 3 times our quite decent salary (£80k) due to house prices. Our large family home is worth about £450k, in an equivalent type location in London it would be £1m+

FireflyEden · 14/05/2019 22:46

I love London but I love where I am here in the good old North East, so none. I would still actively visit thou, it's a wonderful place.

halulat · 14/05/2019 22:49

Nothing would persuade me. Love being close ( less than an hour) to more than one big city, coast and countryside and people will chat to you on the train!

Jedeye · 14/05/2019 22:51

Nah I love living by the sea. London is too hectic for me. But when I was younger I would have gone like a shot.

hettie · 14/05/2019 22:53

For us as a family to have a similar lifestyle in London as to now our joint income would have to be circa 200,000. I'd have to triple my salary and DHS wood also have to increase...