To think the cost of living in the SE/ London

[Elfina]

Is just mortgage/rent and childcare? Or are other things up north cheaper than I realise?

petrol. filled up on the midlands on the way to London on saturday 127p filled up on the way back 139p

also boots meal deal.

greggs sausage roll. 90p. robbing bastards

Leisure activities for kids.
Swimming, music lessons, holiday camps, school trips,....

most things seem cheaper in wales than they do in the south - council tax, food, eating out. my relatives always complain about the cost of everything when they come to visit

Booze s cheaper up north! London pub prices are scary...

Fuel prices depends on a) the supplier and b) how far you are from the oil refineries, c) whether you're at the motorway services. Where my parents live there's a Shell or Asda within a few hundred yards of each other. Shell is sometimes 10p more a litre than Asda.

Drinks:
Bog standard pub in zone 3
Pint of peroni £4.90
Bottle sol £4.10
Large glass white wine £6 ish

Everything is pretty much more expensive down south, because everyone you are buying from has higher costs and everything gets bumped up.

From a round of drinks in a similar pub/bar, meals out, haircuts, anything that involves a location being rented and/or staffing, both are just that much more.

Compared to my family up north, it's basically only utilities, clothes in chain shops, and supermarket food that are the same cost, anything and everything else is just that little bit more.

Travel is much more expensive in London - both public transport and the cost of car insurance/parking.

Yes - anything non-chain is pricier because the people you're buying for are also paying higher rents, etc (and often wages as there is more competition for jobs).

And transport costs are pretty grim, especially if you commute into London.

I have had my shoes re-healed in Streatham - 4. and then was quoted 10.50 in Hammersmith. So there is local variation. I thought 4 was good, but that 10.50 was outragious. the cobbler blamed the rents in Hammersmith. He didn't get any business from me!

Some school trips are cheaper here - rarely do they need to hire a coach. The tube is free is the school get organised.

Bus fares! Journey to and from DC school here (4 miles each way): 8.45 return for an adult + half fare for children. Journey from my parents' house in the North into their nearest town (approx 5 miles each way): 1.10 adult return! I actually thought they'd misheard my destination last time I visited.

We live in Surrey and we factor in 'Surrey price increase' into EVERYTHING.

We had building work done, and it cost us double what it cost our friends who live further up north for less work (and not even that far up north, just not SE).

Its a fecking nightmare.

Travel is much more expensive in London

I disagree with this to a point. There is far more free travel for children in the London area than there is outside it.

I paid over £20 for car parks last week to have my child treated in A&E and then admitted. Charging to park to be with your sick child?
Is that the same up North?

School fees are more expensive in London or anywhere in the SE. Some SE boroughs have very expensive council tax. Travel and parking fees are eye watering.

Yes, parking at hospitals is also very expensive up North. Most hospitals give free parking to disabled visitors and patients but others charge extortionate fees even for disabled people.

I paid over 20 for car parks last week to have my child treated in A&E and then admitted. Charging to park to be with your sick child?

Yep that is country wide I'm afraid.

Is that the same up North?

Yup. Loads of hospitals charge to park up north. Really bad I think.

I think travel is OK in london. Free bus travel for children. £1.45 single bus fare - reasonable for a long journey.

Also loads more free things to do eg museums and stuff.

I live in a large northern city. Those quoted drinks prices don't look much more than what we have to pay in city centre pubs and bars.

Central London transport and council tax always seems cheaper than the national average. There are also more things to do for free in central London at least (museums etc).

I wouldn't have thought that utilities or water was any more expensive - water is certainly much more expensive in the South West Water region, and most salaries in that area are very low.

That's a disgrace.

I agree that travel in London is reasonable.
But when my sister (living in the North) tells me about her after school activity for her child which costs £5 for 3 hours I want to cry in a corner. I pay that per hour.

Also hairdressers seem to be cheaper up there. She had a cut and colour for £40, I cannot get that for less than £75.

It isn't the cost of local travel in London that's the real problem, it's the cost of commuting. House prices drive people further out and commuting costs soar (3k a year isn't unusual).

Even if everything else was cheap, the disparity in housing, commuting and childcare costs is so vast, those in the SE would still be hugely disadvantaged.