Cost of Living in London

One of the most common questions we get from prospective candidates is “Can I afford to live in London?” There is the expectation that the cost of living in London is too high combined with the starting salary for Nurses, Midwives, and Allied Health Professionals makes London unaffordable.

But the answer is more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no” response.

Certain London-based NHS staff receive High Cost Area Supplements (HCAS) to their salary, designed to make living in London more affordable. This HCAS is in addition to their base salary and ranges from 5% in the Fringe zones up to 20% in Inner London. You can calculate your base salary based on Band and years of NHS experience by visiting this NHS pay calculator.

Let’s also look at some average expenses that someone living in London can expect and then you can decide for yourself if London is right for you.

Budgeting how much expenses will cost in London will vary greatly, depending on your family situation and social-life needs. Someone living alone in a studio flat who goes out for a nice meal once a week will have different needs compared to a family of four in a two bedroom flat and primarily prepares home-cooked meals. Everyone’s situation is unique, but we can look at some estimates and compare.

The website Numbeo.com estimates that the average single person living in London will have an expected cost of living of £11,028 per year, whereas a family of four in London should expect a cost of living of £38,352. Both these estimates do not include the cost of rent, and only take into account everyday expenses, such as food, shopping, education, transportation, and some entertainment. Notice that healthcare is not among these expenses, because all residents of the UK are eligible for free healthcare from the publicly funded National Health System (NHS).

It is everybody’s dream to own their own home, and with hard work, budgeting and savings, it can be achievable. But for new international nurses and midwives arriving from overseas, this is usually a dream that will take a few years of planning and preparation. So, we will focus on renting, as that is the most common situation for NEU candidates.

While you are preparing for your OSCE, you will receive free or discounted accommodation provided by your Trust. The duration of the accommodation varies by Trust from 1 month to 12 months. Many of our NHS Trusts have onboarding departments who will help you initially settle, and during this time these departments will help you look for rental properties that are a reasonable commuting distance to the Trust and within your budget. If your Trust does not have a department with these services, or you wish to search on your own accommodations, there are many online resources, such as RightMove.co.uk, which help make finding a flat easier than it has ever been before.

There are still many considerations when making the decision whether or not Camrbidge is right for you. This guide is designed to give you a general overview of your many options to consider.

If you are a single person starting as a Band 5 nurse in Inner London, and your 1 bedroom flat is outside the city centre, so you commute to work every day, then living in London should be very affordable. Some nurses become roommates with nursing colleagues to split the cost of a 2 bedroom flat, making both their accommodations even more affordable.

If you are a four person family with one income coming from a nurse working Outer London and another working Fringe zones of London, and you live in a 3 bedroom flat is outside the city centre, so you both commute into work, you may be able afford London depending on your other expenses, such as childcare.

Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. With the help of this guide, you can start to consider your options.