Moving to Washington from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Kingdom to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Washington, you would find that Washington is 14.1% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly $85,600 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Washington cheaper than United Kingdom?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 11.5% more
Groceries
pay 44.6% more
Transportation
pay 25.2% less
Housing
pay 29.2% more
Childcare
pay 20.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.4% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Washington?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → $85,600
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →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 Washington cost about 1% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Washington
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Kingdom to Washington.
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
The numbers behind daily life in Washington compared to United Kingdom.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
United Kingdom performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
United Kingdom performs better than Washington across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United Kingdom performs better than Washington across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Washington vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 50°/38°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 74°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 52°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°C) |
Met Office
National Weather ServiceCan you move from United Kingdom to Washington?
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 Washington than United Kingdom?
On average Washington is around 14% pricier than United Kingdom, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $21,400 for 3 months in Washington (based on a £56,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Washington?
From major Washington cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in United Kingdom and Washington are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom performs better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Seattle is 60°F, compared to 60°F in London. Seattle receives around 37.5 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Washington?
Both United Kingdom and Washington share the same official language: English.
