Moving to United Kingdom from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 6.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly £52,600 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is United Kingdom cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.4% less
Groceries
pay 29.8% less
Transportation
pay 45.9% more
Housing
pay 16.1% less
Childcare
pay 1.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.6% 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 United Kingdom?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → £52,600
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom cost about 23% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to United Kingdom
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to United Kingdom, based on official data.
people moved from United States to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom performs significantly 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 significantly 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 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 performs significantly better than United States across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in United Kingdom vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
National Weather Service
Met OfficeCan you move from United States to United Kingdom?
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 holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom passport holder visiting United States
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 Kingdom than United States?
Yes — United Kingdom is on average about 6% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £13,150 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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 42.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is United Kingdom safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to United States?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 36.8 in United States. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to United States?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
Both United States and United Kingdom share the same official language: English.
