Moving to United States from United Kingdom
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Kingdom to United States, you would find that United States is 5.7% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £55,958 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $84,357 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to United States.
What does your salary buy?
£55,958 → $84,357
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 9.8% more
Groceries
pay 50.1% more
Transportation
pay 29.3% less
Housing
pay 22.9% more
Childcare
pay 5.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.1% less
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 States cost about 46% more than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to United States, and how the trend has changed.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
17.673,667
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Kingdom and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom performs better than United States across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom performs better than United States across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though United States leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United States performs significantly better than United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United Kingdom generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) |
Met Office
National Weather ServiceVisitor 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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 States than United Kingdom?
Day-to-day costs in United States run about 12% higher than United Kingdom on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a £55,958 comparable salary, that's around $21,089 in United States for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Kingdom and United States.
Is United States safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in United States compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in United States compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 60°F in London. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
Both United Kingdom and United States share the same official language: English.
