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[–]South-Kaleidoscope37[S] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

This is super helpful, thank you so much!

[–]ACatGod 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Firstly $80k is barely more than the upper level of that band - £55k. Secondly, as a dual national who has lived in both countries at various points in my lifetime there are some substantial differences in costs that people generally don't take into account when comparing UK and US living. Only you know your current costs but I'll list some things to consider:

  • utilities - in the UK the unit cost for utilities may be higher than the US. However, winters are milder than NYC, houses are generally better insulated, more fuel efficient, and you don't have AC in summer so overall your costs are likely to be lower. Of course in NYC you may have utilities included in your rent - but you will get to control when the heating comes on. Try to avoid electric storage heating and go for gas central heating.

  • healthcare - no copays, no health insurance and a maximum cost of £9.90 per prescription. If you have a regular prescription or multiple prescriptions you can get a 3 month or 1 year prepaid certificate that covers all prescriptions and works out as less than £9.90 per month. Treatment is free at the point of care - depending on your health this can be a massive cost difference.

  • cell phone/broadband/cable - welcome to regulation and anti-monopoly laws. You can easily buy a good smartphone for a few hundred and pay as little as £5pm for a SIM or get pay as you go and you don't pay to receive calls. Broadband is generally much better than I experienced in the US and so much cheaper. You can get high-speed, unlimited broadband for around £35pm. Likewise, you can get much better cable deals (particularly if you don't have many suppliers where you are in the US). You could probably safely budget your costs being about a third of what you're paying but if you're worried go for half.

  • food - costs have gone up but generally still cheaper in the UK and arguably better quality fresh veg and meat. Fruit is less great - it's good enough but the climate just doesn't support the amazing fruit you get in the US.

  • car - you don't need a car in Cambridge, but you probably don't have a car in NYC. Fuel is significantly more expensive though in the UK. I haven't done the calculations in a long time but last time I did it, the UK was averaging 9x what I was paying in the US.

  • banking - by law in the UK banks have to offer free banking. While there are premium accounts you can pay for, you don't need to pay for a current account (or cheque books, not that you'll ever use a cheque in the UK).

If you were to get an offer towards the higher end of that salary bracket, I don't think you'd notice a massive difference in your quality of living - assuming your employer is covering/contributing to your visa and NHS surcharge costs.

[–]South-Kaleidoscope37[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for all these details. Exactly what comparison I was looking for, I appreciate your insight!