Is Moving to London Worth It in 2025? Pros, Cons + Q&A

Thinking of moving to London in 2025? Or, just wondering about the pros and cons of living in London?

I’ve had A LOT of questions about moving to London, what I think now 18 months in, and any advice I have for someone doing the same this year. So, I’ve wrapped my current thoughts up into one video — I hope it helps 🫶🏼

This is based on my experience of moving from New Zealand to London, talking through the best bits like the public transport or the opportunities in London. I’ll also cover some cons, like the cost of living in London or visa restrictions. There’s also a short Q&A at the end, and the real question is, is London’s weather REALLY that bad? 🤔

Stick around for more travel, foodie and living in London stuff by subscribing to my channel 💖

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00:00 intro
01:08 pros
04:16 cons
08:29 Q&A

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[_JamJam_]

Hi Jess, I just subscribed to your channel 🙂 my husband & I are looking to move to London in the next year or so. This video was super helpful. I really appreciate your straightforward attitude about your experiences. I also think you did a good job not over-generalizing certain topics. I'm glad you & your husband are enjoying London so far and wishing you all the best!

[veronicakurfess]

I love this video! I’m moving to London in 6 months for school and this is super helpful information. Thank you SO much Jess!!

[pau]

So helpful! Moving to London this week and this is just what I needed 💕

[psshmizzle]

I’m a 21 year old kiwi living in Aus at the moment and I’ve been pondering moving to the UK for SOOO LONG !! these videos are probably the most informative ones ive watched !!! 🤍🤍

[davethebrave.]

I'm living in a country where you cannot access support or public funds. This is the best video I have ever seen

[Acacia]

This is super helpful! I’m currently living in Melbourne (but fellow kiwi here, originally from Hamilton lol) and been considering the move to London for a while now. I’m fortunate to not need a visa (have British citizenship, never used it) and work for a global company headquartered there, but the cost of living and rental crisis has been a major mental roadblock for me. You’ve outlined some really practical tips to help work through that- thank you!

[cosmosnomad]

As a native Londoner, for me, the opportunities of London play a big role in what can make London worth it. I've considered moving to other cities (for opportunities) but they don't offer any significant benefits from my perspective. London is a great place to grow yourself. With that being said, how much growth you need from London is another story and depends on a variety of factors. One example I might recommend to some people might be, come to London, stay for a few years, take advantage of the best London opportunities you can and then by that time you will probably have an idea of what you want to do long term. I think it's perfectly reasonable to then decide to move away from London after doing that, having gained the kind of experience to set yourself up elsewhere. I know that's easier said than done, you often don't know how good a job will be until you're doing it.

As for cons, with expense you need to figure out whether it's justifiable to you. I'm struggling to justify it myself. Rent is outrageous, as is buying if you get to that point. You can be a very high earner and it still helps a lot to have a partner. Yes, you may be able to afford to buy somewhere if you're single but it might be tiny, have a relatively long commute, be in a bad area, or what have you. And for me, having a property that's really expensive and still not very nice just isn't worth it. And if the property is somewhat decent then it's even less affordable. So, in my mind, London is probably only worth it in the long term if you have a partner or you earn insane amounts quite quickly.

I do kinda agree with you on it being tough. Like, yeah, I need more energy for the little things, which isn't so easy if I'm tired after a day of work. I think this can be underrated as a problem. Like if going to the gym helps your mental health but you're too tired, or anything that might impact your mental health.

[ashereinhorn]

Balanced urban life is such a great point. I was born in London, now I live in New York and it's not a balanced life at all. there is no place to recharge, not really.

[spsnutritioncorner]

Love the energy that comes through this video!

[shellz]

We are moving to London in 4 days from Colombo Sri lanka and i must say your video has been a god send! I always feel that the negative stuff is always highlighted, when in reality its all about the right attitude, effort and some good luck here and there. Thankyou for making the move realistically positive 🥰❤

[Travellivelearn]

the energy and opportunities - we feel you Jess :)

[leeishh]

I loooove your videos and energy! ✨ My partner and I are moving to London in late May - thank you for more insight! Particularly on the mindset that moving abroad is hard, there’s no denying the daily tasks are going to be more challenging than what I’ve currently got going in Aus (I’m extremely lucky). Here’s to instilling the confidence in ourselves to step towards a solution. I hope your London living experience has been soul filling ☺️💛

[hothotheat]

When people ask if it’s worth it to live anywhere, there’s only one question you need to ask yourself:

HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU HAVE?

That’s it. If you are loaded, you’ll have a blast no matter where you go. If your job is going to pay you, or if you’re a trust fund baby, go to London. Get a flat in Belgravia or Mayfair, go to the West End every weekend, and live it up. You’ll be able to afford to take the Eurostar to Paris every weekend, or take a flight to Barcelona. Money makes everything easier and more convenient.

For the rest of us, if you don’t have the means to enjoy what London has to offer, you’ll be miserable. It’s expensive. Limited means means limited options for food, lodging, and entertainment. You’ll be more apt to complain about the city if you can barely afford it. If you’re broke, you’re probably not living in the safest area.

Do not move to another city just because you saw it on the internet and you’re clout chasing. Be smart about your choices.

[madameversiera]

Regarding the weather I see a superficial way of dealing with the subject. The reality is, apart from a few sunny days, the Uk is 70% grey, rainy, cold, windy weather. Even in June, you have to take a coat on the coast because it could suddenly become freezing cold. For a person who doesn't mind grey weather and cold climates, having probably grown up in a cold country, the Uk is a perfect place. On the other hand, for people like myself, who come from south Italy, and we always had sun and warm weather, it's a need built in the sub-conscious mind. We expect to see the sun, to feel the warmth we had in our childhood, it's not just something you can get rid of easily. It's a deep need built into our phisiological structure. That's why some people could also develop severe depression, and home sickness in the Uk. I also thought the weather was not such a big issue, until I experienced the "grey weather" in the Uk for a long time.

[joshuaglassmyer]

London feels comically safe compared to any comparable neighborhoods of New York (i.e. Mayfair vs. the Village, Stratford vs. East New York) - I appreciate that you contextualized this.

[jessicavanderwalt]

Hi Jess 🌿 Thank you for the great video. I come from a country that has absolutely no public transportation, and when I research the life in the UK, so many comments say that the public transport is non-existent/poor. Thank you for sharing your experience and what London looks like through your eyes 👀✨

[tailahowden]

Super helpful! My husband and I are planning the move in Jan. Can you do a video or provide info on whether you had a job before going, how competitive the job market is, etc?

[WayToManyAssassins]

Surprising to come across a fellow kiwi on here, I know a few of us live in the UK. 🙂 Never lived in the UK but would like to visit and see the little villages and explore northern Scotland. Good points. I know english weather can be cold and damp tho!! And the winters are longer than what we get in NZ. Even places like Queenstown is warmer than the UK a lot of the time

[s_don]

Hi Jess - loved this video. I am a Brit but I have been living in New Zealand for the past 4 years but planning on moving back to London soon. Recently I’ve read lots of news headlines saying that crime is out of control and that the economy is terrible. From your experience is the news being over the top to generate views or is it actually this bad? And how would you compare things like crime, economy and jobs to New Zealand?

[MsRachie]

This is so helpful, thank you! What about insurance in terms of another fixed cost to account for? Contents / health / travel