I’ve Lived in Both Places: Comparing London vs New York
It’s the ultimate showdown: London vs New York City. It’s a smackdown between America’s most popular city vs England’s most popular city.
I’ve lived in both places, and I love both places. They’re incredibly different, and also a bit similar.
But which is better for you? Whether you want to live or visit these iconic cities, I’ll help you decide.
Here’s a detailed comparison of London vs NY.
1. NYC vs London: Size & Population
London has 8.9 million people vs New York’s 8.3 million (as of 2024). They’re both massive, highly populated cities.
In terms of area, New York City is 783.8 square kilometers (487 square miles) and London is 1,572 square kilometers (976 square miles).
New York has more people packed into a tighter space, as its limited to the island of Manhattan. London is not constrained, so it spreads out farther.
Central London is a much smaller area than Greater London, and that’s where most of the iconic tourist attractions and offices are.
Both have suburbs within easy commuting distance, where housing is more affordable and easier to come by. In both cities, the further you live from the center, the more affordable it’ll be.
Both can get packed with tourists, especially during peak travel seasons and school holidays. But the areas where tourists flock are also avoidable in most cases.
NYC vs London – Winner: ✅ London. It’s bigger on both fronts.
Loser: ❌ New York is more compact and crowded.
2. London vs New York: Location & Travel
Both London and New York are situated quite well location-wise for travel and convenience.
In the US, where flights are longer and more expensive, living in New York is a great location for travel within the US and to Europe. You can get direct flights to almost anywhere from NYC.
New York City is more connected by train than most other major US cities, which makes it easy to get to places like the Hudson Valley, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and more.
The New York City area has several major airports that make US and international travel convenient.
From London, however, you can be in Paris in 2 hours by train. Flights to Europe are cheaper and shorter from London, and you can go to more interesting places.
London has more major airports, which makes connecting to continental Europe and beyond simple and more affordable. You can fly to places like Rome in 2.5 hours, Dublin in 1.5 hours, and Barcelona in 2 hours.
The UK’s train system is top-notch for travel within England, Scotland, and Wales. International trains, although a bit pricier, connect easily to places like Paris (a 2 hour train ride from London), Brussels (3 hour train ride), and Amsterdam (4.5 hour train ride).
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London. Cheaper flights to more interesting destinations.
Loser: ❌New York. More expensive flights to other places within the US.
3. Weather
Weather in London is generally more mild than New York. We don’t get snow in the winter (maybe once per season, but it’s rare), and the summers generally don’t get as hot.
The average temperature for a London winter is about 40°F (5°C), and summers range from about 70 to 80°F (21 to 26°C).
New York’s winter averages a chilly 20 to 30°F (-6 to 4°C), and summer highs average 80 to 85°F (26 to 29°C).
Most people think London is rainier than NY. That’s not the case! Average annual rainfall in London is 23 inches (588.49 mm), and average rainfall in NYC is 46 inches (1183 mm).
From personal experience, I would say really severe storms are more common in NYC, which may account for the discrepancy in rainfall.
But in terms of comfort, New York’s prevalent AC systems and central air have London beat by a mile. I’m currently sitting in my London flat that’s a sweltering 80°F (26°C) – the same temp as outside. Air conditioning is rare in London.
New York (and US) building codes are also more efficient for better heating and cooling year round. Single glazed windows are still incredibly common in London, which is basically like having no windows at all.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London wins for milder temps year round.
Winner: ✅ New York for better heating and cooling.
4. Housing & Rent
In terms of housing prices, both cities are known for their high costs, but New York City generally has higher average property prices compared to London. New York averages $3,500 for a studio rental (£2,729.26), while London averages £1500 ($1,923.60) for a studio rental.
In terms of property purchases, Of course, this all depends on where you live.
Let’s look at 2 neighborhoods I consider to be comparable: New York’s Upper East Side, and London’s Kensington & Chelsea. Both are the poshest of the posh.
In the Upper East Side, you can rent a 1-bedroom apartment for an average of $3,858 (£3008).
In London’s Kensington & Chelsea, you can rent a 1-bedroom for an average of £2152 ($2,759)
Keep in mind that this is just an average for what is on the market currently, and this may fluctuate. But with the lower salaries in London, coupled with the slightly higher prices in NYC, they’re pretty much the same.
NYC vs London Loser: ❌ Both. London and New York both have crazy housing costs.
5. Public Transport
London has the Underground; New York has the subway. Both are great to get around quickly and affordably.
From my personal experience, the London Underground is more reliable and trains come more often. The trains themselves also move faster, and the Underground’s network is more extensive.
Both London and NYC have good bus systems, but I personally believe London’s double-decker buses have NYC’s infrequent and crowded buses beat.
London’s Underground is cleaner and also has more accessible stations with lifts (elevators), and step-free access.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London. Faster trains, more efficient, more accessible.
Loser: ❌New York. Slower, dirtier, less efficient.
6. London vs New York: Safety
London and New York are both moderately safe cities. London has a 46.2 safety index (1-100, higher numbers being more safe), while NYC has a safety index of 50.58.
There is more gun violence in NYC, because America. Both cities have robust police forces and commonly use CCTV.
This one all comes down to where you FEEL safest. Personally, I feel safer in London, but it’s mostly because of the lack of guns. I’d rather have my phone snatched than be shot.
Theft is common in both places, and we’ve had things stolen both in NYC and in London.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ Both. They have about the same crime rates. It really depends on where you personally feel safer and more secure.
7. London vs New York: Cost of Living
Both cities are equally notorious for exorbitant costs of living. In New York, a single person’s annual monthly expenses are estimated to be $1,511 without rent (£1178).
In London, a single person’s annual monthly expenses are estimated to be £1,033.8 without rent ($1324).
Of course, this all depends on your lifestyle, where you live, and what you choose to spend your money on.
I’d encourage you to think of what kind of life you want, and if you are moving to either of these cities to travel and have more things to do, keep in mind that everything you do costs money.
Factor your leisure activities into your budget before you make the leap.
NYC vs London Loser: ❌ Both. They’re equally expensive, and you constantly need to hustle for your income in both cities.
8. Things to Do
There’s always something to do in New York City: it truly is the city that never sleeps. From Broadway shows to museums to sports events to hot new club and restaurant openings, there’s never a shortage of things to do.
London is one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, with world-class free museums, theaters, and galleries. There’s all the same things to do as in NYC.
I think NYC has a slight edge when it comes to trends in culture (fashion, food, art, etc.) as so many trends start in NYC and London (and Europe in general) takes a good long while to adopt them.
But both cities offer a never ending string of new things to see and do, but if you want a trendier city, NYC is the place to be.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ Both. There’s plenty to do in each!
9. Greenspace & Parks
Both cities offer incredible parks, gardens, and green spaces. 27% of New York is set aside as greenspace, vs 18% in London.
London has more square miles overall, so 18% of London is more than 27% of New York.
In terms of the quality and cleanliness of parks and gardens, London has NYC beat.
I also prefer London’s playgrounds, which are better maintained, cleaner, and more dispersed throughout the city.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London. More green spaces and cleaner green spaces.
Loser: ❌ New York. Less green spaces.
10. London vs New York: Healthcare
Both London and New York have world class hospitals. You can get high quality care in either place.
But it comes down to this: if you have no insurance in NYC, you’re out of luck.
If you have no insurance in London, you’re totally fine. You can definitely save more money on healthcare using the NHS, which every UK resident is entitled to (you will pay the NHS surcharge when your VISA is approved – it’s not free).
You might wait a little longer to see a doctor in London, because the NHS is overwhelmed and understaffed. But free healthcare is better than very expensive or no healthcare.
I prefer the quality and accessibility of American healthcare, but I was biased with good insurance in the US.
In the UK, you need to work a little harder to get appointments, but you’ll save a ton of money.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London. Free and cheap healthcare.
Winner: ✅ New York, if you have good insurance.
11. Food
This is a space where New York beats London hands down. I’ve had some of the most incredible meals of my life in NYC, and just some okay ones in London.
New York is the center of the culinary universe, and the heart of food trends and innovative restaurants. Sure, there are some in London, too, but New York is where it’s really at for restaurants.
One small example: Cronuts just became more mainstream here in London, while they’ve been popular for close to a decade in NYC.
Your food experiences may be different from mine, but I think it’s easier to find a good cheap meal in NYC. For lunch in NYC you can get a great slice of pizza for $4, while in London that gets you a packaged meal deal from Tesco that’s not great.
The good news? You can still find your American favorites in London, and your British favorites in NYC.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ NYC. Hands down. Better food, more creative food, more choices, more quality for your money.
Loser: ❌ London. Slow to adopt food trends, more terrible takeaway than good takeaway. Less quality for your money.
12. History & Culture
Both cities are historic, with New York having homes and buildings from the 1700s, which is very old for America. But in a London vs New York history throwdown? London wins hands down.
A building here from the 1700s isn’t very old. Very old are the Roman ruins in the city, which date back 2,000 years.
If you’re a history nerd like me, London is heaven. You can walk ancient roads, visit medieval churches, see historic artifacts everywhere, and get lost in the architecture and stories of the London of yore.
But for America, you can’t get more historic than NYC and New England.
NYC vs London Winner: ✅ London, hands down.
Loser: ❌New York. But for an American city, it has an awful lot of cool history!
13. People & Friendliness
New Yorkers are stereotyped as jaded and rude, but I’ve not always found that to be the case. In fact, I think Londoners are more brusque and easily annoyed.
Both cities move incredibly fast, and both groups get angry if you’re in the way or taking too long. The major difference is that a New Yorker will yell or get audibly mad, while Londoners hide behind the quiet facade of civility.
In general, I find Americans are more willing to help a stranger, talk to someone they don’t know, and make friends more easily.
Londoners (but not all the English) tend to be more reserved and are harder to forge meaningful connections with.
I think it’s best encapsulated by what would happen if you ran into someone on the street. A New Yorker would shout or at least say something brusque.
A Londoner would say “sorry,” but really mean “you’re a wanker.”
New York vs London: Final Thoughts From an Expat
Both New York City and London are incredible cities with their own unique pros and cons. Ultimately, the decision of which city is better to live in will depend on your personal preferences and priorities.
If you’re looking for job opportunities, entertainment, and a vibrant food scene, New York City may be the better choice.
On the other hand, if culture, history, and green space are more important to you, then London may be the way to go. Whatever your choice, both cities offer incredible experiences that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
Personally, if I ever were to move back to the US, I would move to NYC. Once you get used to big city metropolis life, you can’t go back to boring small cities.
What’s your favorite city: London or New York?
London vs New York FAQ
Which city is happier, London or NYC?
There’s not just one metric that measures happiness, but according to the Institute for the Quality of Life, London has an index of 1586 and New York City has an index 1602 (the higher the number the better, 1-2000).
This metric measures major cities in terms of education, inclusive policies, economy, mobility, environmental protection, access to green areas and innovation.
Both New York and London measure pretty much equally according to these metrics.
What is the average salary in London vs NYC?
London’s average salary is £36,611 ($46,949).
New York’s average salary is $71,000 (£55,364).
You can generally make more money in NYC (and the US in general, vs Europe), but this all depends on your industry.
Also worth considering is lower costs for things like healthcare and transport in London (no need to own a car, free healthcare).
Is the air quality better in New York or London?
Generally, New York’s air quality has consistently been better than London’s over the last 5 years.
Is London cleaner than New York?
Generally, I think yes. Both cities have trash on the streets and rats in the gutters, but walking around both cities: London feels cleaner. We also have more street sweepers and trash collection here.
But New Yorkers are much better about picking up their dog poo. Londoners are terrible at it.
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