Got an offer from a startup in London, seems like a really interesting role with good career opportunities. However, they are offering me 100k GBP base salary + equity, which for bay area standards sounds like extreme poverty, but according to my research on the internet is good for the UK. What kind of life could I afford in London with this salary? I'm married without kids (but thinking about maybe having one). Assume I like the city itself and I'm aware of the climate considerations, as I've been there many times. TC: 350k usd L5
I’ve worked in both places and the I’d say comparable London salaries are about half the US pay but in GBP. So in that sense, for roles that pay 350k USD in the Bay Area, you should expect about 175k GBP in London. Of course, this doesn’t mean you will save the same amount in London, I’m just giving you equivalent pay scales. All that being said, I’d say you can live a pretty decent lifestyle for 4k GBP/mo as single and 6k GBP/mo as a couple in London
The mortgage itself is 8k here in the US in comparison.
My estimate is based on renting and not buying a home
That’s L5 base in google london; is fair if not compared with US.
100k is like 67.8k £ after taxes. consider expenses housing: 1 bed -> 27k (2k per month rent + 200 council tax + utilities) for central add 200-300£ pounds in rent and outer area is quite a lot of commute. groceries and essentials: 12k on avg but can go up/down on your preferences vacation&shopping: I would keep 5-10k here. kid: no idea ask around and make certain assumptions savings: ~25k UK is bit less then US in expenses but more closer to Europe in terms of Salary. You will find wide range of life style here so consider why you want to come here and is it worth suffering through all this. on a side note UK health system might look good it is funded by tax payers indirectly but do your research and talk to people it’s a hellish experience. My GF was severely ill and we asked for ambulance for hours and were denied it was very bad and I didn’t knew what to do. booked a cab and took her to A&E where they still tried to send us back. We sat down there and they had to take vitals after which she was admitted for a week diagnosed with kidney infection and it was a close call. public Infra is bad there has been strikes every week either for tube/health workers or something else.
Agreed with most of the things here NHS is still good but use private where possible. Which should be covered by the company anyway. Hard disagree on infra being bad it’s one of the best in the western world despite the union strikes for better pay.
have you tried to use private? Emergency are always covered in A&E. Private GP will ask you to go to A&E only if it is serous. surgeries are covered in private. it took my friend to get 6 months to get via private forget about nhs. X Ray appointment got rescheduled twice. Also private only covers over access so you pay 100£ pounds to see a doctor anyway.
100k is poverty in London, it is more expensive than Seattle and taxes are also higher. If you want a car and few vacations your savings will be close to 0
I know many people living in UK and London specifically. This is completely exaggerated. You can live very well in London on this salary.
^^This.
100k is something I’d expect for a non influential role in a startup. Depending on experience you should be pushing closer to 150k and that’s a good package for London
You’re wasting your time
Experience abroad is also worth something to some people.
100K GBP is too low after 350K USD in the US. I think it makes sense to consider at least 130-150K GBP, otherwise you might be unhappy with the drop. But, 100K is not that bad generally for the single person, and is not that bad for startup. Try to interview for Meta or Amazon? Maybe HFT? They will pay good enough.
Depends on your situation. If you live in London, you don't need a car. Public transport in London and the rest of the UK is excellent. You don't need to pay for healthcare since between the NHS and the private healthcare provided by your employer, you'll be covered. You need to accept that your living space is going to be smaller than what you're probably used to in the US. You can expect to pay 3000K a month 500 square feet although this can vary a bit depending on the area. You won't be "livin' large" by any stretch, but you won't be starving either.
3k/mo for 500 sqft is extreme. I live in Central London (zone 1) and pay 2.7k for a 900 sqft 2 bed
^near which tube station you get 2700 900 sqft 2 bed in zone 1? I am looking for a new flat, so it will help me.
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