What it’s Really Like to Live in London (as a Foreigner) 

If you’re considering moving to London, you’re probably wondering what life is really like here. 

On Instagram you may see smiling faces with Big Ben in the background, cups of tea and gorgeous museums. 

But what’s it really like to live here, full-time? 

As an American who first moved to London ten years ago, I’m here to reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly. 

Disclosure: I am extremely privileged to live in London as an American immigrant. This post offers my perspective as a privileged white person, and may not reflect your experience of living in London.

The Good Things About Living in London 

Here’s the undeniably positive aspects of living in London, from an American’s perspective. 

You Live in London 

London is one of the most iconic and beautiful cities in the world. There’s history everywhere you look, and you’ll never run out of things to do. 

London has that ultra-cool vibe that everyone wants, but most can only experience for a few days on holiday. Your friends will be jealous, and yes, they’ll come visit you. 

Travel is Cheap and Fast 

Not only is London’s public transport incredible, but travel to other countries in Europe is really easy and cheap. 

You can hop over to Paris for the weekend, spend half term in Spain, or even take the train to Edinburgh for a long weekend. 

You Don’t Need a Car 

As an American, I was pleased as punch to sell my minivan. I hated the school run, I hated the grocery run, I hated sitting in traffic for 30 minutes to get to a restaurant. 

Now my school run is walking along Regent’s Canal, listening to podcasts on the tube, or even reading a book on the top deck of those iconic red buses. 

You Will Never be Bored 

In my hometown, I had done it all. There was no inch of the city I hadn’t seen. The most exciting things to happen were new bakery and restaurant openings. 

In London, I will never in my lifetime be able to see it all. I’m always discovering something new, and there are endless things to do (many of which are free). 

It’s a History Lover’s Dream 

You don’t need museums to see history in London: it’s literally everywhere. Every street is full of history, much of it dating back to Roman times. 

If you’re a history lover, you can easily get lost in the fascinating details. It’s all around you! 

There’s a Ton of Green Space 

If you live in London, chances are you don’t have a garden. But over 20% of London is green space, and there are parks and gardens where you can get your nature fix everywhere. 

Compared to other big cities like New York, London is massively green, which is the best of both worlds. 

People Keep to Themselves 

As an introvert, this city is my dream. No one talks to me in public unless I’ve dropped something (in which case they politely pick it up for me). 

In America, I was always fending off conversation from strangers. Here, I can be in a crowd of thousands on the train and no one says a word to me. It’s delightful! 

The Bad Things About Living in London

Here are the objectively bad things about living in London, from my perspective. 

It’s Crowded 

If you can’t handle people around you all the time, even if they’re not chatting you up, London is not for you. 

There will be a queue for everything you want to do: ride the bus, go to a show, checkout at Tesco. 

It’s not only crowded in public, it’s crowded in private. Your home will be much smaller, so the people you live with will be that much closer to you. Sometimes it’s really hard to find some personal space. 

It’s Old & Piecemeal 

It’s fascinating from a historical perspective, but the reality is that London’s infrastructure is really old, cobbled together, and “protected” for historical value. 

The windows in my house, for example, are from 1868. You can guess how well they keep out the weather. But you can’t replace them – they’re historic. The plumbing must be historic as well, because it works just as well as the windows. 

If you need a clean and modern home to feel at peace, good luck. Builders don’t seem to give a damn about quality of work. Especially in rentals, furnishings generally are crappy and really ugly. 

You’ll pay an exorbitant amount of money for a flat that is pretty terribly built and maintained. 

You Have to Chase Healthcare…or Pay for It 

Want to see the doctor? Call at 8am, wait on hold for 30 minutes, explain your private medical problems with a receptionist, and hope that you can get an appointment 3 weeks later.  

I love universal healthcare – I believe it should be a human right. But the NHS is stretched to its limits, so even accessing basic care is a slog and you have to fight for what you need. 

You can go private and get a same-day appointment, if you can pay for it. 

It’s Lonely 

It can be really hard to make friends in London if you don’t have the built-in social network of school or university. 

In the office, the culture may be very different from what you’re used to, and it might not be as easy to pal around with your coworkers. The pub is where the social scene really happens.

If you work freelance or from home – like I do – it can be especially hard to make friends. If you don’t make a concerted effort to befriend other Londoners, you simply won’t make friends. 

Londoners are polite, but not friendly (for the most part; of course there are lots of exceptions). They’re insular, and take a while to open up to new people. 

The Food is Not Great 

You can get a wide variety of global cuisines in London, some of which are better than others. But overall, British cooking (even when they’re making a curry) is not nearly as good as American. 

It’s odd, because the quality of ingredients is much better here. But the quality of cooking is overall pretty bad. 

Be prepared to pay $20 for a burger that looks like it came from a hockey game concession stand. 

If you want really nice food, you’ll have to pay much more than that. 

There is no “Customer Service” 

Coming from America, this can be a culture shock to some. Since tipping culture is not a thing here, there’s no incentive for service workers to be nice or helpful. 

But it’s not only in food service – it’s everywhere. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve had a helpful customer service representative in London. Most aren’t rude, they’re just apathetic, and it can be difficult to get what you need, even if you’re the most polite person on the planet.

The Absolutely Ugly Things About Living in London 

Here are the absolute worst things about living in London, from my perspective as an American. 

It’s Bloody Expensive 

You will never be prepared for how expensive London is, unless you’re a multi-millionaire. 

For perspective, for rent I pay 3 times what my mortgage was back home. 

A latte and a croissant is $10. A takeaway for 4 is $70. A film ticket is $20. 

Some things like groceries and transport are cheaper than in the US, but overall, it’s incredibly expensive to live in London, and sometimes I feel like I’m drowning. 

The Red Tape & Archaic Bureaucracy 

The Brits really like procedures and rules. Following the rules, when you don’t know what they are, is tricky. 

Most official & “important” things are still done over the phone and by post. You may have to wait for a physical letter to arrive in the mail (which takes forever) to complete next steps. 

Did you accidentally let your TV license or prescription certificate expire? You won’t get a warning, you’ll just get a massive fine. 

As an ADHDer, keeping my daily life organized is much harder here. Everything seems to take weeks or months to actually happen, from appointments to applications to taxes to documents. 

Minimal things can be accomplished online, and you have to remember to follow up and chase things yourself. 

It’s a red tape nightmare, and if you get it wrong, you have to start over (and likely pay a fine or a fee). 

There’s Dog and Fox Poo Everywhere

Watch your step in London. Literally. 

Dog owners in London are terrible and don’t seem to bother to be good humans (not all, but many). 

Foxes (yes, foxes) run rampant over the city, and these little trash bandits eat a curry and squirt poo on your front steps. 

You will definitely need to be a shoes-off household in London. It’s disgusting and infuriating. Walking with kids is especially treacherous, and can get very messy.

Is Living in London Worth It? 

Yes and no. Living in London is one of the most incredible experiences in the world. But whether or not it’s “worth it” – your time, your money, your sanity – totally depends on your personal preferences. 

London isn’t perfect. It’s far from the pastel-hued homes you see all over influencer’s feeds. It can be hard, and lonely, and soul-crushing. 

But it’s also incredible, and unique, historic, and charming. 

For me, it’s a balancing act between quality of life and the kind of life I want to live. 

I would be miserable in a small city or the countryside, but sometimes I’m also miserable here. 

I don’t think any place on earth is the perfect place to live. But I do really love it here – for the most part – and it’s my home. For now. 

More on Moving to London

Moving Abroad Checklist: 7 Steps to Create Your Dream Life

5 Types of UK Visas and How to Get Them 

Moving to the UK from the US: 10 Ways Your Life Will Change, Guaranteed  

Moving to London from the US: How Can I Accomplish It? 

The Average Cost of Living in London: What’s the Real Price?