What things are cheaper in less expensive areas?

[Brunaaa]

Aside from the obvious things like housing, council tax, eating and drinking out(?), what other things are cheaper in less expensive areas of the UK than the South East?

Are groceries cheaper? Train fares? Water electricity and gas bills?

I've only ever lived in London and the South East, so I'd be interested to see how the house of living compares!

@Ifailed

I would love London's heavily subsidised public transport system

In normal times it's self-funding, including paying for capital investments like Cross Rail.
It's a myth pedalled by other areas of the country who can't seem to organise their own travel system, so claim London's is subsidised.

tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/how-we-work/how-we-are-funded

"Grants (including Crossrail funding) make up 33% of our funding in 2019/20 and are received from central and local government."

Perhaps central and local government grants don't count as subsidising, but if so, what does?

And for the avoidance of doubt I think London's approach is good.

@unmarkedbythat

Maybe you should have read the entire document?

"Our operating grant from the Department for Transport finished at the end of the 2017/18 fiscal year."

The grants referred to come from the GLA , the local authority, and business rates.

Taxis

Food is definitely cheaper. When I used to live down south I'd come back to the east Midlands to do a massive Tesco shop, it was pounds different even in the same store chain!

@Ifailed I did read the entire document. A grant is a grant whatever its source- why do you think that if a grant comes from the GLAS, LA and local business rates it is not a subsidy? At no point in any of my posts (perhaps you could go back and read them?) have I said subsidised by central government so why you think the ending of a 17/18 DfT grant is proof that London's public transport system is in no way subsidised is beyond me.

@Keratinsmooth not in the Lake District it isn’t!

I recently moved out of London and a decorator/ handy person came and charged me £12.50 an hour

I was delighted!! I paid at least £30 per hour for the same or similar in London.

Needless to say I have put a lot more work his way. Stuff I'd have probably attempted to do myself in my previous location, due to cost.

@Toorapid

Anything that involves labour. Hairdresser, taxi, plumber, physio, dentist, swimming lessons, dance classes, private tutor, cleaner, window cleaner, car repairs. You get idea.

Exactly this. Any time a get a quote from a tradesperson in our area (been here a few years, moved from somewhere more expensive), I am suprised at how low the quotes are.

All linked to house prices I guess, because you don't need to charge as much for your time if you can actually afford to buy a house without a sky-high mortage.

@unmarkedbythat
I take your point. TfL is not subsidised directly by the tax-payer (as wildly believed), but is subsidised by the local authority, as is public transport in many other places around the country.

I'm really surprised that people are saying taxis! I live in the East of England and taxis are really expensive...rural-ish area so they know that they've got you over a barrel as there aren't public transport options.

@OrigamiOwl

I'm really surprised that people are saying taxis! I live in the East of England and taxis are really expensive...rural-ish area so they know that they've got you over a barrel as there aren't public transport options.

I live in an urban area. Public transport isn't great but there are lots of taxi firms - it's really easy to get a taxi - even at pub chuck-out time you can get one straight away. Perhaps it's supply and demand making them cheap.

it depends on whether you live rurally or in a town/ city out of london generally even around cities in the north there are still cheaper and dearer areas generally the further you are out the cheaper property is
where we are when you are beyond an hours drive to glasgow the prices drop, ( up in very picturesque holiday villahes)
if you live rurally public bus to town can be easily £5-10 return with only a few buses a day so a car is essential but often tradespeople and services are cheaper as mentioned hourly rate is lower
very rurally broadband will be more for not a great deal of mbps
overall though the cost of living does drop housing being the main one
definitely down housing, hourly rate for trades, most nurseries and child minding
often down eating out and socialising
sometimes more council tax and utilities cost of fuel, if really remote courier charges
often more transport ( need a car) public transport taxis cost more as longer journeys not necessarily more per mile

Probably in addition to the things you said I think hair and beauty services are cheaper. Probably getting work done on the house too but I have only rented in London and own in the North East so I've only ever had to pay for this stuff here.

Public transport is way more expensive here. Longer distance train fairs are no cheaper. If anything more expensive as you have less options on routes or providers.

Utilities are no different. Also you can't assume council tax is cheaper.

For me though house prices were enough to move. Despite earning well between us we just couldn't pay 1500 a month rent then save for a deposit.

Virtually all "personal" services, whether dog walking, hairdressers, cleaners, gardeners, electricians/plumbers, builders, tattoos, etc.

All the "niche" types of shops, i.e. crafts, antiques, boutique fashion, etc.

It's basically "mug" pricing in more expensive areas - there are people with money to spend, so shops/service providers are happy to take their money. In less prosperous areas, fewer people have money, so shops and businesses have to be cheaper to get the business.

Beer in a pub, coffee or tea in a coffee shop.

It cost over £10 less in a comparable seat to see the RSC in Newcastle than in London.

That’s true about theatre actually. My parents live near quite a good little theatre that has loads of west end shows visit.
Obviously it’s not in a big west end theatre but every seat gets a great view and the tickets are a fraction of the cost.

Crappy Chinese takeaway in southend one dish was a quarter of the price of the same dish in London in an equally shitty Chinese southend was much tastier also...

I live in london and my haircut costs £30 in Soho (chinese hair salon). Is it that much cheaper up north? Would I pay less than that?

I think it hits a certain way up in the country and then gets more expensive again somewhere just above Perthshire....
Things in the North of Scotland cost a lot due to transportation costs and we also count as not UK mainland for a lot of delivery companies so usually an extra £60 for large deliveries!

Hairdressers
Nurseries
Trades people
Nights out
Taxis

It's basically "mug" pricing in more expensive areas

Not necessarily, people providing services, whether hair cuts or decorating, have a higher cost of living to fund.

If you are only paying £125 a week for rent/mortgage then you need to charge £3.13 an hour to cover, if it's £375 then it's £9.38.

I think the range of shops, etc varies too, one local town centre has generally very upmarket/higher end high street shops, a Waitrose and more expensive hairdressers, coffee shops and restaurants. Petrol is also dearer.

Another nearby centre has more down to earth shops such as The Range, Wilko, Home bargains, Poundland, Aldi amd Supercuts, cheaper petrol, cheaper eating out choices and I can grab a cheap cup of tea

I live between the two amd shop in both (in non covid times) but if I lived and mostly shopped in the first town, I imagine I’d be spending more in general.