Is London still worth it?

Hi guys, trying to make sense of my next move. 

Growing up, the City was the place to be. I'm sure those of you born in the 1990s will remember the hype, the bonus culture making the headlines, etc. 

As a senior-ish professional in the FICC space I'm trying to understand if, both financially and professionally, life in say Switzerland or the Emirates would have a better yield. I understand Switzerland is not an easy situation either, but at least safety is there & things work. The UAE feel very agile, finding a 1-bed apartment doesn't seem to be mission impossible & I wouldn't mind having more disposable income I can manage myself. However I don't really know the country.

I'd love to experience London but compensation after taxes doesn't seem to allow living very comfortably. Many of my friends doing IB are still flat sharing & due to privacy (totally understandable ofc) we never really discuss salaries in detail, therefore I never really got to understand if they are pleased with their bonuses once taxes kick in.

Would appreciate your comments, thanks!

2 Comments
 

London is still a top two financial center and number one for FICC by a margin. And there are still large bonuses but people talk about it less. Switzerland and UAE are ants in comparison. But yes, London is expensive and you have to be well compensated to live comfortably. There are far more opportunities to be well compensated in London than the UAE.

 

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