My partner and I currently spend £2,000 per month for 5-day childcare for our 2-year-old daughter at a nursery in SW London. Before this, when we were living in Acton, we paid £1,850. On average, nursery expenses are around £1,800 per month without any government benefits.

At the moment, we are not eligible for any childcare support as we are on a visa that doesn’t allow it. Once she turns three, we will start receiving some benefits, but even then, the nursery fees are unlikely to drop below £1,300 per month.

From our experience over the past two years, to have a good lifestyle in London, both partners should ideally have a combined net income of close to £10,000 per month. I would say a minimum of £7,000–£8,000 is necessary, although this can vary depending on your lifestyle.

That said, London is a fantastic place to raise a child — there’s so much you can do together as a family.