Moving to United Kingdom from North Carolina

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from North Carolina to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from North Carolina to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 15.0% more expensive than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly £60,972 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from North Carolina to United Kingdom.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 £60,972

To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 1.7% more

Groceries

pay 26.5% less

Transportation

pay 56.1% more

Housing

pay 1.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.7556 GBP (June 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in United Kingdom cost about 8% less than cities in North Carolina.

North Carolina

Durham 74%

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to United Kingdom

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from North Carolina to United Kingdom, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
17,000 ↑ 3% vs 2018

people moved from United States to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United Kingdom?

Top countries of origin for United Kingdom's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from North Carolina to United Kingdom.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NC
33.6%
GB
27.8%

United Kingdom performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NC
88.7%
GB
97.0%

United Kingdom performs significantly better than North Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NC
3.4%
GB
4.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NC
$59,308
GB
$54,100

North Carolina performs better than United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NC
76.1 yrs
GB
81.9 yrs

United Kingdom performs significantly better than North Carolina across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asheville London
Jan–Mar 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) 49°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 64°/48°F (18°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 72°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) 53°/43°F (12°/6°C)
View all months
Month Asheville London
Jan 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C)
Feb 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C)
Mar 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C)
Apr 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C)
Jun 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Jul 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Sep 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C)
Oct 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C)
Nov 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C)
Dec 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C) 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Met Office Met Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.
United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in United Kingdom than North Carolina?

No — United Kingdom is on average about 8% more expensive than North Carolina. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £15,243 in United Kingdom on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?

Usually fine from major cities in United Kingdom. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to North Carolina?

United Kingdom performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to North Carolina?

The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.

What language do they speak in United Kingdom?

Both North Carolina and United Kingdom share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

GB
Population 9,535,483 67,791,400
Currency United States Dollar ($) British Pound Sterling (£)
Languages English English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +44
Time zones 11 9
Emergency number 911 999