Living in the city is supposed to yield a higher chance of success compared to any other location. After all, cities are where most opportunities can be found. This is a widespread belief that tends to backfire on aspiring dreamers once they are faced with the reality that it isn’t easy to survive in the city.
It should be noted that it’s still possible to make a living with the many job opportunities in Central London. However, many may find that they are better off engaging estate agents here in Buckhurst Hill or someplace similar that is much smaller and quieter in scale.
Why? Well, here are the reasons why living in the city is never a good choice.
High Cost of Living
Established career men and women in the city earn sizeable salaries, but much of it often gets put into rent or mortgage every month. The same can be said for younger people, who don’t have as high of a wage to speak of.
Similar to other cities around the globe, London boasts high standards of living. This is evident in how expensive it can be to live on one of the properties that line the streets. In fact, it was reported that the rent in London is higher compared to any other cities in Europe.
While many may be okay with delegating a large portion of their salaries to housing, it’s still a smart idea to consider other housing options outside or on the outskirts of the city. This allows you to put away money for other things, like hobbies or emergencies.
It isn’t only the housing that can get quite expensive, though. Both transportation and food costs can make dents in one’s wallet as well. With this, those who are starting off have to consider living a more frugal lifestyle if they wish to continue residing in these parts without having to suffer.
Terrible Traffic
Given that it’s considered as a hub for career opportunities as well as Universities, it isn’t all too surprising that many of the younger generations migrate to London. This has led to a drastic rise in population over the years.
A by-product of this is the notorious London traffic congestion, which leaves drivers spending as much as 73 hours a year stuck in traffic. This number has resulted in London ranking seventh in the list of cities with the worst traffic in the world. As a way to avoid this, many residents take public transportation.
However, this hasn’t proven to solve the traffic crisis. It also causes busy and crowded lines come rush hour.
Too Much Anonymity
A downside of living in cities like London is that everyone else is as preoccupied with their lives as you are with yours. Most of the people in London are looking to find success, so it isn’t all too surprising that everyone gets busy trying to better their lives.
It’s still possible to build a community around these parts, as others have done in the past. But it wouldn’t be as easy as those in suburbia may find it, whose relationships prosper under close proximity and plenty of time spent bonding.
The difficult life in London can be taken as a challenge by newcomers. After all, if many others have done it successfully, why can’t they? However, it’s essential to pick your battles and recognise that great opportunities can also be found elsewhere.
They are in places where people don’t have to spend so much time working just to put their money into surviving.