Moving to New York from United Kingdom

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from United Kingdom to New York? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from United Kingdom to New York, you would find that New York is 13.7% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £56,672 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $77,597 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Kingdom and New York.

What does your salary buy?

£56,672 $77,597

To maintain the same standard of living in New York

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.2% more

Groceries

pay 63.0% more

Transportation

pay 18.4% less

Housing

pay 27.4% more

Childcare

pay 22.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 1.32 USD (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 New York cost about 19% more than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Bath 63%
Slough 61%

New York

Queens 73%
Ithaca 62%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to New York

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?

What the data shows about people moving from United Kingdom to New York.

Moved in 2023
10,850 ↑ 3% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in New York compared to United Kingdom.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

GB
27.8%
NY
29.9%

United Kingdom performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

GB
97.0%
NY
89.7%

United Kingdom performs better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.1%
NY
4.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$54,100
NY
$91,992

New York generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GB
81.9 yrs
NY
77.7 yrs

United Kingdom performs better than New York across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Albany
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 68°/47°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 78°/58°F (26°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)
View all months
Month London Albany
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

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.
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.

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 New York than United Kingdom?

On average New York is around 3% pricier than United Kingdom, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to New York?

Budget about $19,399 for 3 months in New York (based on a £56,672 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from New York?

From major New York cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in United Kingdom and New York are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in New York compared to United Kingdom?

United Kingdom performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in New York compared to United Kingdom?

The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 60°F in London. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in New York?

Both United Kingdom and New York share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

GB
Population 67,791,400 19,378,102
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +1
Time zones 9 11
Emergency number 999 911