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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

England is so expensive.

189 replies

Mooshamoo · 06/04/2023 20:47

I just flew over from Ireland to England for a couple of days.

Jesus everything is so expensive in England! I felt like I burned through money.

I thought Ireland was pricy enough, but England is way more expensive.

I've come home, looked at my bank account and cried a little haha.

For example I got a train in Ireland before I left. It was 14 euro.

I got a train for the same distance in England. It was 40 pounds. It didn't even travel that far. And the guy in the train station told me that this was the best deal ticket "it was off peak"

Everything in the UK supermarket was so pricy.

I was just a little shocked. How are you all coping with it

OP posts:
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Prescottdanni123 · 06/04/2023 23:09

I'm from England and even I'm finding £15.99 for a burger expensive. I live in a popular holiday destination in the North East and the average price around here for that kind of meal tends to cost £10 - £12 on average.

Prescottdanni123 · 06/04/2023 23:10

@custardlover

£25 for two small drinks would be considered expensive in most places in England that are located outside of London.

custardlover · 06/04/2023 23:20

I'm a Londoner and I was shocked! So much that I went back and queried it, thought they had charged me for a third drink by accident but no, it was just incredibly dear.

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2023 23:20

I don't live in Dublin. I'm in a large town in Ireland

Well, there you go then! You're not comparing similar situations - Bristol has a population of c500,000!

For what it's worth, I often find towns in Ireland worse value than Dublin / cities. The prices might be a little (but only a little) cheaper but the quality is much poorer. (I'm not originally from Dublin, just living here a long time, I'm from Munster & have lived in various Irish locations).

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2023 23:21

LunaTheCat · 06/04/2023 23:08

Don’t ever ever come to New Zealand…

I agree! I loved NZ but it was so expensive ... holiday of a lifetime tho.

ClareBlue · 06/04/2023 23:29

EarringsandLipstick · 06/04/2023 22:58

I can't afford to go to England for a weekend anymore.

Like I said, going anywhere for a weekend will be more expensive than staying at home!

Not true what so ever. 30 euro flights to lithuania and half price cost of eating out in Feb this year and public transport is 2 euro airport to city in Vilnius. Poland significantly cheaper outside Warsaw same with any balkan country. Móntengro half our prices in Ireland. Got sleeper train from Belgrade to Bar before Christmas 12 hour journey 40 euro for 2 with sleeper cabin. North Macedonia apartment in Skopji for 30 euro a night with eating out have price and transport very cheap, entry to museums etc 2 euro, Albania, Romania and Bulgaria absolutely stunning countries outside capital cities and way way cheaper. There's loads of places that your money buys much much more if you earn it in western Europe.

DashboardConfessional · 06/04/2023 23:31

Bristol is expensive. Famously so. Loads of people are moving down to Exeter to commute in.

I think people are "defensive" because yes things have gone up but the recent price rises haven't made a main in a proper restaurant go from 11 euro/£10 to £16. I've lived near Bristol since 2007 and don't ever recall having a meal out there for a tenner each plus drinks that wasn't in a food court.

ClareBlue · 06/04/2023 23:35

Go to Bradford. We were there just before Christmas and there was plenty of value. Friendly people too.

Aria999 · 06/04/2023 23:42

Rightsaidmargot · 06/04/2023 20:54

Food is really cheap in UK compared to most countries.

Yes, this.

We are in east coast USA and the threads about people's weekly supermarket spend in the UK are really depressing, ours is at least twice as much as anyone in the UK.

fyn · 06/04/2023 23:50

Food in the UK is some of the cheapest in the world, relative to income. The only place with cheaper food is America. Although food relative to income has increased, it is still one of the cheapest places in the world!

WoodenFloorboards · 07/04/2023 00:09

Trains are expensive in the UK, but regular leisure travellers who aren't on expenses won't usually be paying the headline price - we'll have a travel card or book in advance. So it'll still be expensive, but not as eye watering as a visitor might think.

mellicauli · 07/04/2023 00:15

Burgers are one of those items which can cost anything. Quick googling of what's in my (not particularly cheap) town: £7.50 (Weatherspoons), £10 (funky restaurant where students go ), £13.50 (nice old pub). £17 (gastro pub), £18 (hotel)

Lots of burgers, lots of price points and if you are local you know what you want to spend and go to the right one. Easy to be caught out if you are just coming for the weekend.

AskMeMore · 07/04/2023 00:31

Sockloon · 06/04/2023 21:00

15.99 burger and chips love to know where your going, I've never paid that in England.

The mind boggles.

Very standard price in a restaurant.

AskMeMore · 07/04/2023 00:34

WoodenFloorboards · 07/04/2023 00:09

Trains are expensive in the UK, but regular leisure travellers who aren't on expenses won't usually be paying the headline price - we'll have a travel card or book in advance. So it'll still be expensive, but not as eye watering as a visitor might think.

I do not want to plan a few months in advance before I take a train.
I went away for a weekend with some friends recently. Before the pandemic I always got the train to this place. This time the train fares were so expensive I drove just to save money. That is crazy environmentally. The only friends who travelled by train booked about 4 months before using a family railcard. Even then they paid slightly more than driving would cost, but the difference was not so stark.

JaneJeffer · 07/04/2023 00:36

the quality is much poorer
How very dare you!

northeasrer · 07/04/2023 00:39

Ozgirl75 · 06/04/2023 20:56

I’ve just moved here from Australia and I’m also constantly amazed at how expensive everything is. My last electricity bill was equivalent of £120 for three summer months of air con. I now pay around £250 a month. Train fares - Jesus! £36 from Guildford to London, half an hour! I used to pay a couple of dollars for a train ride in Sydney.
Council tax is over double what we paid, food is not quite as expensive but it’s similar.

Council tax in aus?

TheWonderfulThingAboutTiggers · 07/04/2023 00:48

A quick Google shows prices are overall considerably cheaper in the UK than. In Australia. However - Australia does have higher salaries which will make a difference (similar with USA I imagine? Costs more but earn more?)

AskMeMore · 07/04/2023 00:51

Five Guys - £12 for cheeseburger and chips
Byron up to £15 depending on choice of burger
Hungry Horse from just over £10 for burger and chips to just under £15, depending on type of burger.

All of these are just a small step up from McDonalds. Its hardly gastropubs which will be more expensive.

Jas5mum · 07/04/2023 00:52

I'm going to Dublin and for hotels its way more expensive!
We had 2 nights for £125 for 5 of us near reading afew weeks ago. Can't even get 1 night for that there!
So I think it probably averages out. It also depends what supermarket you were in, if it was waitrose or M&S then it'll be pricey!

Theimpossiblegirl · 07/04/2023 00:54

It's interesting how many posters are arguing that the UK isn't that expensive. Food has gone up loads and eating out has got very pricey.
Fuel bills are at an all time high and we're in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

So yes, stuff is expensive. It's almost like people just like to disagree with an op for the sake of it.

AskMeMore · 07/04/2023 00:55

@Jas5mum It is fairer to compare hotel prices in London. Reading is hardly a key tourist spot.

Jonei · 07/04/2023 00:58

It is expensive in the UK op. Maybe it's time for a weekend in Ireland.

teezletangler · 07/04/2023 01:04

Everything in the UK supermarket was so pricy.

Don't come to Canada, OP. We visited the UK recently for the first time since 202. I was prepared for the whole "sticker shock at the till" thing at the supermarket, given inflation. Instead, DH and I were going round Waitrose laughing at the prices and exclaiming to each other how cheap everything was. "A cauliflower for £1.50!" I know it's a jump for people there, but it is so cheap compared to our prices here. Some things in the UK are more expensive mind, but not many.

Soproudoflionesses · 07/04/2023 01:12

JimmyDurham · 06/04/2023 22:55

Blimey, how things have changed! When we were in Dublin for a mini-break in the 90s it was eye-wateringly expensive. In fact we actually ran out of cash and I had to get the hotel to cash me a cheque.

Show quote history

This...l used to go to Dublin twice a year to stay with family and it was soooo expensive

steff13 · 07/04/2023 01:14

Rightsaidmargot · 06/04/2023 20:54

Food is really cheap in UK compared to most countries.

I'm the the US and I'm shocked at how little I read on here that y'all pay for food.