Hi guysI am an incoming IB analyst relocating to London from Continental Europe.
My firm is located in CW and was wondering what's the best place to live in London?I was considering London Bridge because I really like this area and some neighborhoods closer to the office maybe Canning Town?
Also, as a A1 what's a decent amount to allocate to rent knowing that I am gonna spend most of my time in the office?
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By the way, what part of London does 5 Broadgate fall under? CW?
Assuming by 5 Broadgate you mean UBS? That’s slap bang in the middle of Liverpool Street, not CW.
For CW, live anywhere within a few mins walk of the Jubilee line. Probably London Bridge is your best bet, otherwise you’re either going to live in a proper shithole or a dead area.
Where would be a good place to rent in that area?
London rents have increased by approximately 20percent in the last 12 months and despite that properties are snapped up quickly due to poor availability . So it totally depends on what proportion of your salary you are prepared to spend on rent . You might find yourself easily priced out of central areas if you want to live alone and if you don’t want to spend more than 50percent of your salary on rent.
Essentially anywhere on the Elizabeth line , DLR line or Jubilee line are good options .
Thanks for your answer!! Also, if leaving somewhere in the Jubilee line let’s say on London Bridge, is the commute cost significantly higher than the DLR for instance?
No it’s all the same on the London tube network. The costs depend on zones. I think you will be looking at zone 1 and zone 2.
London Bridge, Southwark, Waterloo, Westminster are all pretty convenient in the Jubilee line and central.
Generally though people prefer to live in the west end, which can be ok depending on how far you are from tube (South Kensington, Chelsea, etc.)
Some people like Islington or East London (shoreditch) too
Dont live around CW it sucks
I worked in that building when I was at UBS. I chose Angel as it was a quick bike or bus down. One of the best parts of the city to be in.
If you're gonna be in City of London, assuming from some of the other comments, then London Bridge/Tower bridge area is very nice. Just avoid living too far East as it’s not the nicest (Hackney/Mile End). Angel, Islington, and Euston are also nice. Staying anywhere on the Metropolitan line zone 1/2 would also be a good idea as that covers Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Aldgate, etc. Hope that helps.
Do the sensible thing and live somewhere along the Jubilee line - trust me, it will make your life a lot easier and your commute all the better
And before you ask: no, don't live in Canary Wharf
Yes, it's much better than when I was there c. 11yrs ago, but it's still removed from the main part of the city and (despite efforts otherwise) is still somewhat stale
A1 is a Year-One Analyst, right? So assuming you're taking home a base of £60k and a bonus of £40k your first year, that's £100k - or around £65k after tax
In other words, ~£5.5k/month, albeit with uneven cash flow through the year (£3.25k for most months, and then your bonus month, evening things out)
I'd suggest paying somewhere in the region of £1,500/month in rent
London Bridge, Southwark, Westminster are your best bets - with Westminster being the most expensive of the three
Southwark / Blackfriars (i.e. the north side of Southwark) is a genuinely lovely area: centrally located, loads of restaurants / bars / pubs, and excellent access to the rest of London
I have friends way beyond their analyst years still living there (like they did when they first started), and frankly the only reason they'd move at this point is for a bigger house and some more garden space (i.e. for children)
I'm also a big fan of London bridge (for all the same reasons as Southwark) - main differentiator is that it's a little less central (still very central by comparison to some other parts of London) and, personally speaking, I've never lived there myself, so can't vouch for it as strongly as Southwark / Blackfriars (where I have lived)
This is perfect advice OP ^^
does anyone here live in zone 3 and commute?
Just live in CW, yes it's a bit stale and boring but rents are on par if not cheaper than most major areas, plus it's super convenient to walk to the office. It's clean and safe, and has some nice green areas too. With the Elizabeth Line up and running it's really convenient to get into central London.
Relating to London Bridge area, realistically you're not going to be near the station and won't get a nice flat, so unless you really like the area I'd avoid living there.
Heard Kensal Town is nice
West is the best. Paddington is a great area, with plenty of life and things to do over the weekend.
When is the best time to start flat hunting for a mid-September start date?
Also, does anyone have any insight into camden or bermondsey?
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