Is quality of life in West London and the South-East UK really better than East London and the North UK?

[lndonist]

Considering the high cost of living in West London and South London, with the relative sparse infrastructure investment of the UK government (though we're better off financially and have more personal freedom than in other countries), is quality-of-life in these areas generally better than the ones those have who live in places like East London?

I guess a similar question could be asked of the North-South divide. The Great Recession brought down living standards for a lot of the middle class (with surveys showing that the lower class never saw a huge change in lifestyle, probably due to there being a bottom floor at which point government handouts kick in) and I sometimes think that the cost-of-living in West London means that quality-of-life is about the same.

I lived in north London and east London and worked in south London. There are different qualities in all areas of London, personally I much preferred Bethnal Green to Lewisham. I'm not really sure what you are asking. But the best quality of life I experienced was in 'the North', if you can work up there living in London doesn't touch it.

@isthisspring We usually get told that living in East London or the North is bad - they have worse quality-of-life and everything is horrible there in comparison to where we live.

But, generally speaking, these places have far lower cost-of-living. The UK also doesn't really have a culture of infrastructure development so I wonder if the quality-of-life is actually better in East London.

All of the south east is over crowded, under funded and over priced compared to the north. The biggest issue is finding employment, a lot of starter employment in particular seems to be in the London area meaning people often have to live there at the start of their careers. People who believe that everything in areas like York is bad compared to areas like Deptford have been badly misinformed and long may that continue!

Have you been to the North?!? There’s a lot of variation. Who tells you the quality of life is bad?!?

There's better and worse in all areas OP.
Your point is?

I’d love to live in the north if friends and family were there. I wouldn’t be very good at uprooting myself though. But lots of advantages: shorter commute, generally better standard of living, lots of big towns within easy travelling distance, much less time to get to the countryside. But I would have to live in a city though.

The cost of living isn’t much higher in London, only house prices and rent are more expensive. Travel is cheap, and there are lower prices in lots of restaurants and shops as the competition from many other places in the locality drive the cost down further than in a town or village with only one restaurant of its type. Chains cost the same wherever you go, and with buying online things aren’t more expensive in London than elsewhere. Yes housing is more expensive, but you pay extra to live in a more desirable area. So I think you are paying for what you get.

It's grim up North...... There's no two ways about it.

I don’t fhink east London and the north can be lumped together!

Yes I think the south east does have a bettter quality of life than the north. Better weather for start, which makes quite a difference!

It’s not the location, it’s the income level that makes the difference. Wealthy areas are ‘nicer’ whether it’s N Yorkshire or Brighton. Poorer areas are tougher to live in.

What do you mean by quality of life?

Different people will have differing priorities on that

I’m from the North and I’ve live in the South for the last decade, nothing could persuade me to go back to the North, although housing is more expensive where I live now there are more and better jobs and opportunities here and the quality of life is much better.

I have lived in NI, Scotland, the West Country and have finally settled in SE England. Looking at friends from all of those places, I think the quality of life in NI is the best. If you can find a steady job there, it’s easy to afford to buy or rent a nice house in a nice area. The problem is job availability there, which is why I have to live near London. I’d far rather live IN a cheaper city instead of living outside an expensive one. If I had the choice I’d never recommend anyone live here. Not because it’s bad, just because it’s so expensive.

I live in West London but am from the north east of England. I won’t go back. It’s too cold and some people (like London I’m sure) are a bit small minded. I’m proud of my northern roots but love the culture and choice here too much. I also have an amazing group of friends in London who are almost like family which probably is one of the main factors.

I have lived in both East and West London. My quality of life was the same. I had access to shops, gyms, spa, GP, parks in both places.

I’m going to stick my neck out and say I would not like to live in an area with high crime/ street violence, with visible drug use, with run down or empty shops and services, with dirty environments and public services, with high unemployment and people who lack ambition or community spirit.
You get those areas all over London and all over the uk.

yes the whole of the North is grim ...

It’s too big a generalisation. I’d far rather live in Harrogate than Elephant and Castle for example. But there are areas of deprivation in the north that I’d not like to live in and those are the places where life expectancy and other outcomes tend to be lower. It also depends how you define quality of life. For me my quality of life is higher living outside London and commuting in. Others would prefer a shorter commute and a smaller house.

I live by the beach in South Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 albeit a steel works to one end! Wouldn't live anywhere else!

All areas are fine if you have money and shit if you don’t. East London, where I live, has poverty and wealth living side by side.

When living in West London I found that the Daily Mail was much too prevalent and there were too many journalists. But many people wanted to live there due to Daily Mail articles about weekends away in the Cotswolds. They were all keen on government handouts such as immediate police response, weekly bin collection and roads suitable for 4x4s. I now live in a place that is neither West London, East London nor the north. It has a good quality of life and a lot of government handouts, sorry, infrastructure that makes life easier.

I would personally never live in London. I had to work down there for a while and found it far too manic and stressful and not very friendly

I equally don't particularly like the countryside as I get too bored (I'm fussy!)

I'm from Leicester and have also lived in Nottingham and I think they are both nice places to live, decent size and friendly people. I've also spent a fair amount of time in Leeds and would happily live there too

I genuinely don't know how anyone affords to live in London, housing is so expensive!

We usually get told that living in East London or the North is bad - they have worse quality-of-life and everything is horrible there in comparison to where we live.

Really?! what on earth is bad and horrible about them - especially the North? How are you defining North? Everywhere above and including York?

Lived in the South West,South East, and now live very North West. I think they all have their plus and minus. I wouldn't personally want to live in London. For me too hectic,polluted,too many people etc. Where I live now the lifestyle is much more laidback, close to the countryside ( I often hear sheep in nearby fields) people are friendlier. I get to see a GP within a few hours of making an appointment or at least within 24 hours max. You might not have the nightlife, as many theatres, restaurants to choose from, but to know your children are in a safer environment is worth it.

Really, I think it depends on how much money you have. Living in an overcrowded flat with little money is going to be a bigger determinant on quality of life. FWIW, we own our own home, have a car, send kids to an outstanding school and live in east London.