Guernsey - Aibu for thinking of moving there?

[reallypuzzledoverthis]

Just that really- I could get a job but the rents are really high, what’s it like there day to day cost of living price wise?

I have a friend that lives there.
It's beautiful. She loves it.
But it's very expensive, and I think if you're not a native you need permission to live there. I might be wrong on that one though.

Do you have children? I understand the state schools are pretty dire (although I don't know if SIL just says that so she can whinge/boast about how much they spend on private education for 3 kids!)

I think there's one grammar, which is reasonable, and then secondary modern (possibly more than one) which is pretty poor by results. But I think they're very friendly and easy to join.

My dad moved out there a few years ago. He loves it, as do his kids, but he's considering coming back home to England as he's struggling to afford to live. He is a high earner, but it still isn't enough.

Guernsey rents are often more expensive than London. There is a local and open market, open market is for non-locals and it's more expensive.

It is a very expensive place to live. I don't know how the local versus non-local housing market works - I do know it's very difficult to move to Jersey but slightly easier to move to Guernsey. Years ago we were on a very slow ferry going to Guernsey and so got talking to some locals who said how expensive it was to live there. The guy was a gardener so not a high earner.

I like Guernsey but I think I would go mad living there - it is very small. Have you thought about Jersey instead - it has much more going on - while taking into account the housing issues?

I think everyday prices are generally high on both islands as everything has to be brought in. It is also very damp in the winter.

I would qualify for the local market due to my job type, plus I would get a payment towards the rent which would lessen the shock, and I admit that the low speed limit is a tempter, I think its the actual day to day costs which I'm worried about as even though the wages would be higher there, would they be enough? So much to think about!

They have no NHS which would be a big factor for me.

@FictionalCharacter our healthcare is SO much better here in guernsey than the uk situation with the nhs. You hear in the uk of people unable to get a doctor appointment and waiting hours at an and e.

our healthcare here is so well funded and provided for. Gp appointments same day, a and e never a queue. We’ve been here 10 years and would never go back to the uk partly because of how dire the nhs is!

That's interesting. Do you have to pay a lot for private health care?

@FictionalCharacter you can take out private health insurance if you like (same as the UK) but I don't personally. I've given birth to 3 children in Guernsey, and have arthritis (even tho i'm in my 30s) and never paid a penny for any of that care in the hospitals here.

The only thing we pay for is the GP (unless you're on benefits) and A&E (I think it's about £100) unless you have insurance. I'm a high earner so don't qualify for free GP appointments. They're about £50 for adults (unless you choose to get insurance). I pay more than that for a hair cut! A tiny, tiny price to pay for the ability to have same day appointments and hospital appointments with waiting lists in the weeks not the years. I would never move back to the NHS because of the state of the NHS. I've taken my kids a few times to A&E over the years and always walked right in without a queue.