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Standard of Living US to UK Conversion

The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
edited September 2006 in Strut Central
I have a friend moving to a job in the London area. She is going to be making 33K GBP a year. What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK? Apt, spending money, purchasing daily groceries, etc? The more info the better UK strutters, help out! ThanksT.N.
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  Comments

  • OkemOkem 4,617 Posts
    Not being from London I can't help you much. But saying she's moving to the 'London area', is pretty vague. The Uk economy is ruled heavily by the housing market, so you'd really need to find out, where abouts in London she plans to live and work. Then take your ass to v.v. and ask there.
    Personally I could live very happilly on 33k in Bristol, most of my friends being brokeartisticktypes, dont earn half that.
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Right, I dunno exactly where she would be moving to, but let's just say in London proper, artsy type area.
  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    London is CRAZY expensive!!! One of the 10 most expensive cities in the world. Nice apartments are a lot of loot if you want to be in the city. Tell you friend to really do her homework before taking the job.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK?

    Nothing they have over there is as good as what we have over here. Starting with their "rap" music.

    Also, they have Omar and we have Justin Timberlake.

    And they have Lloyd Bradley, which we do not.

    So she can expect a lower standard of living no matter how she's caking off.



    I am just keeping it all the way real.
  • magneticmagnetic 2,678 Posts
    What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK?

    Nothing they have over there is as good as what we have over here. Starting with their "rap" music.

    Also, they have Omar and we have Justin Timberlake.

    And they have Lloyd Bradley, which we do not.

    So she can expect a lower standard of living no matter how she's caking off.



    I am just keeping it all the way S>real/S> rill.
  • soulmarcosasoulmarcosa 4,296 Posts
    What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK?

    Nothing they have over there is as good as what we have over here. Starting with their "rap" music.

    Also, they have Omar and we have Justin Timberlake.

    And they have Lloyd Bradley, which we do not.

    So she can expect a lower standard of living no matter how she's caking off.



    I am just keeping it all the way real.

    Then again, the USA has Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado.

    While the UK has M.I.A.

    And Lady Sovereign.

    Verdict?









































    Move to Japan.

    They have TIGARAH!

  • lucerolucero 425 Posts
    London is madd expensive but if you're making pounds you'll prob be 'aiight - I think 33K is better than it sounds, she might not save heaps but will be able to live pretty good, there are lots of differences in the components of living expenses but I'm not too sure on the breakdown viz a viz USA
  • PATXPATX 2,820 Posts
    33k = 1-2 grammes per week.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I've heard health care is free in the UK. Could that really be true? Seems like that would vastly improve the standard of living.
  • raredaveraredave 205 Posts
    I've heard health care is free in the UK. Could that really be true? Seems like that would vastly improve the standard of living.



    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory its a better system but it does have its flaws.

    ??33K roughly equates to ??2K a month after taxes - how much money have left over really depends on how much you are paying in rent, which could be between ??500 - ??1000 even on a flat share from my understanding...
  • roistoroisto 881 Posts
    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory and practice[/b] its a better system but it does have its flaws.
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK?

    Nothing they have over there is as good as what we have over here. Starting with their "rap" music.

    Also, they have Omar and we have Justin Timberlake.

    And they have Lloyd Bradley, which we do not.

    So she can expect a lower standard of living no matter how she's caking off.



    I am just keeping it all the way real.

    Then again, the USA has Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado.

    While the UK has M.I.A.

    And Lady Sovereign.

    Verdict?









































    Move to Japan.

    They have TIGARAH!



    Damn I was hoping it was going to be the vomiting basin.
  • Ex-BoyfriendEx-Boyfriend 795 Posts
    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory and practice[/b] its a better system but it does have its flaws.

    you ever been treated on the nhs doggy?
  • Campag_RecordCampag_Record 238 Posts


    ??33K roughly equates to ??2K a month after taxes - how much money have left over really depends on how much you are paying in rent, which could be between ??500 - ??1000 even on a flat share from my understanding...

    Not forgetting National Insurance deductions which will be over ??2000 for the year based on those earnings.

    Don't come to the UK, it's an overpriced shit hole!
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    I have a friend moving to a job in the London area. She is going to be making 33K GBP a year. What standard of living is this gonna be for her in the UK? Apt, spending money, purchasing daily groceries, etc? The more info the better UK strutters, help out!
    Thanks
    T.N.

    Yeah, it all depends what she's paying in rent - a nice flatshare might be from around ??400 a month and renting your own place may be from ??1k or so, depending how centrally you live. Public transport is kind of pricey over time, so that could have a bearing, especially if by the 'London area' she means 20 miles outside London... She'll lose about a third of her salary in tax but healthcare is free and the NHS is really pretty good unless your friend is waiting for a hip replacement or some other geriatric shit. London is kind of expensive but it's a great place to live and like anywhere you get to know the spots. She can definitely have a very good time in London on that income.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    the UK has M.I.A.

    And Lady Sovereign.

    Verdict?

    Exactly. They are hallmarks of Englishness and represent all that is best about our fair country. Craig David's ours too. We rule the world still. I rest my case.
  • JuniorJunior 4,853 Posts
    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory and practice[/b] its a better system but it does have its flaws.

    you ever been treated on the nhs doggy?

    Working as a data manager for a company that analyses the NHS and private medical care I would say don't dismiss the NHS out of hand. It's far from perfect but a lot of this is down to the Government's handling of finances rather than the level of competance at the hospitals themselves. Considering the cost of a lot of the things we take for granted on the NHS I for one am extremely grateful for it.

    Going back to the original question, 33,000 is enough to get by in London, especially if they go for a house share option. They could get somewhere reasonably central for a couple of 100 a month if they share with a couple of people. Although London is stupidly overexpensive if you stay away from tourist trap areas it's not so bad.
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,963 Posts
    It's doable on 33K but it won't be Notting Hill or Islington. You could get lucky if you do the "Urban Pilgrim" thing and move to a part of town that's a ghetto currently being "Gentrified" = coffee shops with chrome chairs outside (padlocked to some immovable object). My mate has a nice flat in E1 (Tower Hamlets). Downside is it's next to a tube station and hospital helipad and he's had his car tagged.

    I personally like London. Most of the gigs are there. Wouldn't want my kids to grow up there but that's a problem for most big cities. As for the NHS, yes, you pay for it by being taxed but it works as well as it can for a healthcare system with 55 million customers.

    I personally think those 20 stone chainsmokers should pay extra tax because they are going to be the biggest users of the system, but, irony of ironies, they are the cnuts least likely to be working... Ho Ho.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts


    I personally think those 20 stone chainsmokers should pay extra tax because they are going to be the biggest users of the system, but, irony of ironies, they are the cnuts least likely to be working... Ho Ho.

    In theory smokers cost the NHS about ??2.5billion a year but cigarette duties bring in around ??5.5 billion a year, hence the fact that you can still buy tabs and watch F1 cars whizz round a track whilst plastered in Malboro logos. So...smokers do pay extra tax every time they buy a packet of cigarettes - about ??4 a time. As for the fatties, that's another question entirely...
  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,963 Posts
    What about taxing the outputs of The Clown, The King and The Colonel in order to recoup future health costs associated with overconsumption of these products, just as we do with tabs? Or forcing them to take the sugar and fat out?
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    Yeah except that it's generally the poorer and less healthy who frequent those classy establishments so it could end up being a bit of a prole tax. The question is whether it would make people eat less of that crap or whether they'd eat just as much but pay more for it and end up just as unhealthy and poorer too...

    Forcing the chains to cut out the sugar, salt and chemicals would be a good start. I thought it was telling that when McD's trumpetted the fact that they'd lowered fat, salt and sugar in burgers it turned out that their new healthy salad dressings had more fat, sugar and salt that even their biggest sandwich. I'm not sure what the answer is but I think it lies with taxing the corporates according to the volume of crap they put in the food they turn out - healthy food manufacturers pay less tax maybe...
  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,794 Posts

    I know I could do with ??33k a year. As long as she doesn't plan on owning a car, she should get by fine - congestion charges and petrol prices just aren't worth it.
  • KrautbreaksKrautbreaks 276 Posts

    I know I could do with ??33k a year. As long as she doesn't plan on owning a car, she should get by fine - congestion charges and petrol prices just aren't worth it.

    which is not - be sure -
    limited to UK only
  • DocMcCoyDocMcCoy "Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
    33k is decent enough, but as the other UK Strutters have pointed out, London is pretty expensive when it comes to most things. Accomodation is generally pricey, but much depends on the area and whether or not she plans to share with others. Just like anywhere else, premium's gonna cost you. As far as food is concerned, she may as well forget about having anything like the range of shit that's on offer in your average US supermarket right now. Public transport is functional rather than super-efficient, but it does the job, although it's getting more and more expensive. Unless a car is absolutely necessary for her, she should be able to get by. If your friend has to commute from the 'burbs, that'll take a bigger chunk out of her living expenses. The popular misconception that public healthcare in the UK is barely third-world standard is pretty much just that, despite what you may hear. A lot of employers offer private healthcare packages nowadays anyway, which are paid for with a deduction from your wage, so she may prefer the relative familiarity of something like that, assuming it's available to her.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    "rap" music.

    ignorant

    then again you may be too young to know, but probably just don't

    I am just too real for this board.

    Now please proceed to "son" me by posting pictures of Hijack in their dominatrix outfits.
  • Ex-BoyfriendEx-Boyfriend 795 Posts
    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory and practice[/b] its a better system but it does have its flaws.

    you ever been treated on the nhs doggy?

    always.

    Private healthcare fucking sucks over here, i know multiple people who have had very serious things go wrong in private health, from dehydration to the point of near irreversible kidney and liver damage due to mis-prescribed drugs (this was in a top of the range clinic, @ ??300 a night. he was removed instantly by NHS doctor who placed patient on the correct drugs, and correct supervision and suggested legal action), to straight-forward operations being completely botched with life threatening consequence (overnight kidney stone op, result: 6 weeks in NHS hospital, in serious condition), to nurses and doctors who are simply not trained to handle the equipment they are using. I have known this from people who have worked in the private sector over here, and people who have been treated in it, and those are people I know well, family members. Every time NHS has picked up teh pieces and the people got a far higher standard of care and treatment. Its not what it once was, it has been bled dry by under investment, part-privatisation, and poor management, but it still shits on private, because here private is an independant business sector riddled with money grubbing charlatans, corruption and incompetance. also, lots of NHS doctors can be private at will. Thisis a way of taxing the stupid - if I go to the dentist, she says to me 'NHS or Private?' If I say 'Private', she puts on a relaxation cd and is extra polite, then charges 3X + as much. But same dentist, same treatment. Not knocking the hustle, if people are stupid and have money to burn on feeling comfy, let them chuck their money down the drain.

    This doesnt stand up to scrutiny doggy. If private healthcare in the UK is really vastly inferior to what the NHS provides then why are so many willing to pay for it on top of what they already contribute to the NHS through taxation? Its not really plausible to suggest that they are all well to do idiots
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    because here private is an independant business sector riddled with money grubbing charlatans, corruption and incompetance.
    That sounds just like our system! The only public we have is the Veterans. Which was allowed to decline in the 80s under Reagan, but Clinton rebuilt it, but Bush is trying to dismantle it again. Recent studies show that Veterans provide the best overall health care in the country.
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    its not "free" ~ its just subsidised / pre-paid for in taxes, if you break a leg or puncture a spleen you can go to an hospital and get treated without having to cough up $5000 or summin - in theory and practice[/b] its a better system but it does have its flaws.

    you ever been treated on the nhs doggy?

    always.

    Private healthcare fucking sucks over here, i know multiple people who have had very serious things go wrong in private health, from dehydration to the point of near irreversible kidney and liver damage due to mis-prescribed drugs (this was in a top of the range clinic, @ ??300 a night. he was removed instantly by NHS doctor who placed patient on the correct drugs, and correct supervision and suggested legal action), to straight-forward operations being completely botched with life threatening consequence (overnight kidney stone op, result: 6 weeks in NHS hospital, in serious condition), to nurses and doctors who are simply not trained to handle the equipment they are using. I have known this from people who have worked in the private sector over here, and people who have been treated in it, and those are people I know well, family members. Every time NHS has picked up teh pieces and the people got a far higher standard of care and treatment. Its not what it once was, it has been bled dry by under investment, part-privatisation, and poor management, but it still shits on private, because here private is an independant business sector riddled with money grubbing charlatans, corruption and incompetance. also, lots of NHS doctors can be private at will. Thisis a way of taxing the stupid - if I go to the dentist, she says to me 'NHS or Private?' If I say 'Private', she puts on a relaxation cd and is extra polite, then charges 3X + as much. But same dentist, same treatment. Not knocking the hustle, if people are stupid and have money to burn on feeling comfy, let them chuck their money down the drain.

    This doesnt stand up to scrutiny doggy. If private healthcare in the UK is really vastly inferior to what the NHS provides then why are so many willing to pay for it on top of what they already contribute to the NHS through taxation? Its not really plausible to suggest that they are all well to do idiots

    There are very few exclusively private doctors or surgeons in the UK. They may do private work but pretty much all of them work for the NHS too. So it isn't uncommon that if you go private you're treated by the same consultant who'd treat you in the NHS. Private health insurance effectively buys you a quicker appointment and maybe a private room - the care and the staff are often the same.
  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
    Recent studies show that Veterans provide the best overall health care in the country.

    I'm going to need a link to this study or you're going to have to expound on "best overall." I work in healthcare and deal with the VA on a daily basis and am having a hard time coming up with one area of their operation that is better than the private sector.

    I mean, it's free to those that qualify...
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Recent studies show that Veterans provide the best overall health care in the country.

    I'm going to need a link to this study or you're going to have to expound on "best overall." I work in healthcare and deal with the VA on a daily basis and am having a hard time coming up with one area of their operation that is better than the private sector.

    I mean, it's free to those that qualify...

    Sounds like you came up with one way. Unless you don't think free is a good price.

    It took awhile, here is the article:

    http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2005/0501.longman.html

    I'm gonna go read it now.

    Dan
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