London vs NYC for fun

Hi guys,
 

I am trying to lateral to either NYC or London office at my firm. I am not concerned with COL or exit opps for now. Which city has the best nightlife, vibes, charm? Really just looking to enjoy my 20s for a few years.

 
Most Helpful

The difference between NYC and London is the mindset. London isn't really a place where people meet - it's more of a nebula of social circles that usually do not mix. This means that your main social circle if you don't know anyone in the city will be your coworkers. You won't meet new people if you go to a bar - and bars close at 11pm.

We can say that Americans are more shallow, but at least they're more social and open to meeting strangers. London, on the other hand, is purely European - people have fewer friends but stronger friendship ties.

 

Really can't beat NYC. I hate going out here though, people are incredibly rude/aggressive at times for no reason. The crazy venues are fun in your mid 20s. Now, I can't stand them in my 30s. I much prefer flying out to Miami (vs a weekend in Manhattan) as I've aged even if it's more expensive.

 

Neighborhoods: Really liked Wynwood and Brickell. Don't really remember the Wynwood places well but I liked "Sugar" in Brickell. It was a rooftop bar next to a bunch of high rises. Fairly decent skyline of Miami but a nice place to end the night with a cocktail or two.

 

London is full of introverts, avoid avoid avoid.

 

London is King! It has so many more things to do/see. And in contrast with some comments here, people are open, at least in my experience. And I'm talking British people and obviously foreigners. Is not actually hard to make friends and contacts here.For example, Friday I went to Canary Wharf, and this bunch of Bankers from a BB invited me and my 2 other friends to take dinner with them after we met at the park, the main guy was British.

 

To add my take as a international (came here for my undergrad), yes its true about the different social circles. But London is a cosmopolitan city with people constantly coming in and leaving, personally I've found it easier to meet new people (esp foreigners instead of Brits). When opening a conversation, I make it more like networking lol, saying I'm new to the city - what to do, where to go etc. People are more receptive to this in my experience.

Yes, you have to make an effort to build social circles, but I think that's everywhere. And yes this means being proactive to get people's social media, reply to stories etc. But that's the game. Since I didnt break into IB, I spend more time on socialising and dating. Also have deferred admit for an M7 MBA, so looking forward to checking out the US scene in a few years.

 

Since I didnt break into IB, I spend more time on socialising and dating. Also have deferred admit for an M7 MBA, so looking forward to checking out the US scene in a few years.

Hahaha. IBD for sure has taken a toll on my social and dating life since college. Trying to eventually transition to a more balanced job and life to be more social. IMO be ready for a culture shock. Europeans and Americans are very temperamentally different.

 
capex fairy

The best part of living in London is cheap and short flights to Spain, Eastern Europe, Greece, etc. where the nightlife is approximately 1000x better than any American city (yes, including Miami you uncultured fucks). 

It really is amazing how much better European nightlife is (and in Eastern Europe, at a fraction of the cost). Had more fun at clubs in a weekend in Warsaw than anywhere I’ve been in the US. 

 

I always find these discussions funny because you are fundamentally comparing two cities, that, while appear to have superficial similarities in population size, economic significance, soft power, are actually very distinct.  I grew up in a South Asian business family and have relatives both in the US (LA,DC,NYC) and in the UK (london), so I'll try to explain my POV.

NYC is an american city.  Granted, it's nothing like other cities in the US, but at its core, it's american.  That means american culture, american friendships, american social norms.  London isn't exactly a British city in the same way.  It's very European, and very international.  It's probably the only place on the planet where you can meet hotshots from all around the globe.  Ex-commonwealth people in particular.  This leads to a different cultural feel.  London is almost more like DC in the sense that most social circles are relatively closed off, with people from different backgrounds (ethnic, geographical primarily) hanging out with their own groups.  It isn't like NYC, which is one big melting pot.  I think that, for an american raised individual, NYC probably would be a better fit.  It's more spontaneous, and you can meet anyone easily.  London is more family/friends based, and Brits are more reserved, so the same doesn't happen in London as often.  

IF you have a strong social circle however, I would say that London ends up feeling more wholesome. It isn't as energetic as NYC, but it has a more relaxed, friendly feel to it.  You also have Europe at your doorstep, and I would say that European nightlife is more enjoyable as a whole, despite the fact that some american cities (vegas, miami) have more 'intense' nightlife.  People are also a bit mellower, which for me is a big positive as I'm not a huge fan of hanging out with intense individuals who always need to be doing something crazy at all times.  Really depends on your circumstances, and what you want out of your personal and social life.  

The good thing about the US is that NYC is just one small part of it.  London, on the other hand, is a huge part of the UK, so if you don't like it you can't really escape it.  Other UK cities are far more 'british' and feel very different as a result.  Ultimately if you are looking for 'excitement' NYC really can't be beat.  

 

It really depends on the type of South Asian you are.  After all, we aren't all one singular ethnic group.  In London at least, you have the big gujrati/marwadi  business families with gargantuan wealth, while also having recent immigrants from the subcontinents lower middle class.  The first group is there to network, and their kids are out partying in the nicest places in Mayfair.  The second group doesn't party, and are there for economic mobility reasons solely.  Their worlds don't overlap whatsoever.  Whether you prefer the UK or the US depends on your upbringing, and socioeconomic condition.  

It does seem to me that professional opportunities are significantly more abundant in the US.  Building a career in America is just easier by default and the opportunities are almost endless in comparison to the UK/Continental Europe.  From a racial perspective, London is significantly more class stratified than anyplace I've ever been to in the US. It's almost like Delhi/Mumbai in comparison.  A lot of professional opportunities are taken by the kids of wealthy scions, and I definitely felt a heavy class distinction at many professional organizations.  America, while also possessing staggering amounts of financial inequality, doesn't have the same type of cultural stratification that the UK does. This leads to the obvious scenario where working class/council housing kids only interact among themselves, the upper middle classes with each other, and so on.  More socioeconomic mixing in the US by far.  

The downside to the US for me however, is that it sometimes doesn't feel like a nation state the same way European or Asian countries do.  Like to be considered an American, besides officially having citizenship/a passport, all you really need to do is speak un-accented american english.  That's about it really. There isn't too much that unites the country on a real cultural fundamental level. This leads to enormous differences from one american to another, to the point where it's really hard to find something in common with your fellow man.  Now this is also what makes the US so unique and powerful, since a lack of a strong cultural undercurrent makes it easier for newcomers to assimilate, but at the same time this is what foreigners often mean by when they say the 'US has no culture'.  It almost feels like a free trade zone with a flag to me at times, united by nothing more than a common language, military, and economic system.  This makes it hard to really build strong old world type friendships, as close of a bond you have with your blood relatives, here in the States.  Note that this applies if your a South Asian raised coming to the west.  The same problems will be encountered in Canada, Australia, and the UK, but for whatever reason it feels more pronounced in the states.  The community feel is harder to come by, but that's just my experience.

For a South Asian raised person, I don't think there's really a better choice, between the two.  For ethnic Europeans however, London is significantly better.  I've met an insane amount of miserable Brits, Dutch, French, Germans, and Spaniards in the US.  The lifestyle is just so different that they have a really hard time adapting.  Sure NYC might be fun for a few years, but almost everyone wants to go back to the continent after a few years.  The American lifestyle doesn't have the same type of 'cultural wholesomeness' for them.  You really got to be wanting to do big things for the US to be the right place for you.  Being mediocre here, in financial terms, will not be fun.  

 

I think that for a short stint, these issues should not preclude you from pursuing the opportunity to work in London.  In your 20s, you are going to have a good time regardless of the cultural differences.  You can still develop close friendships in the UK, and one thing I really like about most western Europeans, is that they really do act like blood relatives when you've developed a close bond with them.  When I was in the UK, I could call my friends to take me to the hospital if something disastrous happened.  I only had a few people like that, but I trusted each one with my life.  I was only there for 18 months, so while it may be hard to make friends, once they're made, they're made.  I still call them a few times a week 2 years later.  

Now I'm back to the States, where I grew up.  I have 'friends' but not in the same way.  Besides the few guys I went to school with, I've yet to develop a blood relative bond with anyone I've met here.  Americans are more friendly, but Americans are also far more distinct in comparison to each other than most Europeans are. A lot of small talk, but a lot less substance.  This isn't to say that you can't make strong friendships here, its just to say that they don't develop the same way South Asian/European friendships do.  It's less family oriented, for one.  

None of that is absolute however, and it isn't a criticism by any means.  I still like it here, and life is good.  

 

The point about being able to escape London is not really on point - it takes the same time or more to do NYC - Chicago or NYC - Boston or whatever than to do London - Paris or London / Madrid or London / Rome etc. Basically, do you want to travel across Europe or do you want to travel across the US ?
 

Also obviously if you don’t like the city don’t move there, you’re not gonna go on holiday weekends every week. 

 

Escaping London domestically is quite difficult since there isn't any other equivalent city in the UK.

As for jetting out to Rome, Paris, Berlin, ya sure you can do that, and tons do, but as a vacation.  You telling me a monolingual English speaker can manage a professional transition to those countries?  I doubt it.  If you don't like London professionally or personally, you're kind of stuck there unless you manage to learn German in a few weeks.  Not the same issue stateside.  

 

NYC: more hectic nightlife, higher pace city, higer salaries, easier to meet people, easier to go to Miami/West Coast/ South America

London: Calmer city, more beautiful/more of an historical feel, more holidays, composed of many different neighbourhoods, mostly European (you probably won’t hang out with brits unless you’re girlfriend is Brit), you can go on weekends anywhere in Europe. As people said, it’s really not that easy to meet many people of merge groups of friends in London compared to NYC (but anyone can make friends ofc)


Contrary to what I heard here, London nightlife really is NOT great except for 1) high end speakeasy cocktail bars 2) drum n bass type clubs 3) high end selective night clubs and members clubs (which you won’t have access to immediately). 
 

The selling point for London is 1) Quality of life and 2) weekends in Europe. Otherwise go to New York. 

 

The social circle thing in London is funny because I've always noticed but could never put my finger on it.

If you've traveled for business solo, you know that you can go to the bar of a restaurant/pub and generally strike up a conversation with someone if you want (sometimes even make new friends).  However, London is an entirely different beast. It almost felt as if people/groups were actively not trying to speak to anyone outside their circle. 

Hell, I went to a bar solo in London once during their World Cup run, and people were STILL very cliquish.  If it were in NYC, everyone in the bar would have been friends by halftime lol.

You go to London for the ability to travel.  If you want fun, NYC hands down.

"Sounds to me like you guys a couple of bookies."
 

Not trying to poke digs at you, but going solo to a bar or an event (especially the World cup as football is HUGE in the UK) would be considered weird/uncommon.

 

Certainly not saying going out to the big game by yourself is normal. 

What I meant is that typically during big games at bars, where everyone is generally rooting for the same team, the scene quickly becomes collegial.  In fact, these type of events usually draw out a sense of community and togetherness.  If you go to a Ranger's bar during playoff's (or even a Jets game during the regular season), you will see people high-fiving random folk across the bar, taking shots with people they've just met, people getting in debates with strangers, etc.

I have watched matches at London pub's by myself and with co-workers, and this sort of vibe was definitely lacking.

And that's not to say that Londoners aren't friendly, quite the contrary.  But NY is just a much more a extroverted town.   

"Sounds to me like you guys a couple of bookies."
 

I am from a European country and I am surprised to see the negative comments here about London. There are many areas with great nightlife scattered throughout the city in Mayfair, Soho, Shoreditch, and much more. NY may have the best nightlife in the world for all age groups, so any comparison would be unfair. The comments about closed groups are correct, but if you are a good guy/girl you shouldn't really have issues finding friends if you are relatively young (22-26), as a lot of people who live in London are not actually from London. It is a very cosmopolitan city with many people from a myriad of countries and different cities in the UK moving to the city also. COL is high in the city and is proportionate to NY, hence the pay disparity. The pay disparity, as some people alluded to above, is driven by fewer hours, more holidays, and the fact that the US banks drive most of their fees in the US. All in all, it is a question of priorities for you. Do you want to work in NY where you will work harder, earn more, pay more to get less, have a (slightly) better nightlife, and have fewer holidays? Or would you prefer to work and live in London where you still work very hard but less than NY? 

 

Which venues are you referring to exactly re: great nightlife ? Would be nice to share as I’m still looking for great places

here’s my take:

- Shoreditch: it really sucks, it’s maybe ok if you’re a college student at the bottom of society, but not much to see tbh. People are too drunk, not well dressed, music is shit,  not much to see. I’m not interested in Essex girls not in drunk students. 

- Soho: half of it is bottom end clubs for tourists or students (tiger tiger, Piccadilly institute, etc), the other half is actually pretty cool (Opium, Hovarda, Mr Fogg’s, etc.)

- Mayfair: obviously that’s where the best clubs are, but unless you intend to pay > £1k for bottle service, have a bunch of female models with you, are part of a members club, or are besties with the bouncer, good luck getting in the top places. But there are still fairly good places, also for dinner and cocktails (Buddha Bar, Annabelle’s, Home house, Coya, Sketch, etc.) although all quite expensive.

Also Chelsea obviously :) and perhaps Covent Garden..

I mean all in all it’s still fairly decent. But if you compare it to NYC it’s definitely not as good. The only strengths of London is in trendy high end venues tbh which is not necessarily what you may want all the time. That said, going partying in Madrid, Paris, Ibiza, Barcelona, Budapest or Prague for the weekend is pretty cool !

 

I believe that areas with lots of lively bars can be classified as good nightlife. It is then a question of personal preference on which areas suit your vibe. For instance, it's quite clear that you may only go out, or only seek to go out, in high-class areas with upper class individuals. There is nothing wrong with that, but not everybody is the same. I accept that Shoreditch is a bit grimey/messy, but it is still fun. Old street records is good for example. Your criticism of people who go out in Shoreditch comes across as elitist and condescending to be honest. My point is that London is so connected you can go reasonably go anywhere in the city for a night out. You've correctly pointed out that the west has the best clubs with the best dressed people etc, but that is not accessible to everyone and might not be everyone's vibe. I imagine that NY is the same in this respect. It's probably worth mentioning that I do agree with most of your points btw 

 

I started in my EB's London office I liked it I guess - 

London Cons:

  • There are small things that make you appreciate America like no air conditioning in many public places, bars that stay open past 10pm, etc. 
  • Also expensive, but maybe it's about the same as NYC now
  • IB salaries are less than in NYC

London Pros:

  • Food is good (yes outside of London UK food sucks, but inside it's very international etc)
  • I did make good friends and have fun since it was an English speaking city, but so is NYC lol (I maybe did like NYC a tad more)
  • Able to get on a short flight and travel to a ton of places in Europe which was my favorite part (not an ocean to cross)
 

Incidunt vel voluptatibus sapiente. Ut ut ut porro quidem. Et natus quasi sit quasi voluptatem aut libero. Laudantium minus a possimus autem qui. Alias deleniti veniam tempora ut blanditiis.

Officiis corrupti rem quasi ducimus. Eos porro et voluptatibus optio.

 

Modi saepe quam molestias corrupti consequatur. Aut qui qui sit nesciunt. Cupiditate molestiae aut asperiores exercitationem velit non numquam. Ex et adipisci non qui. Qui voluptatibus excepturi ullam doloremque. Incidunt quia quasi nobis aut sit assumenda. Deleniti a sint aliquid ipsam quia quis.

Aut qui et dolor ab corrupti dolores commodi. In quaerat maxime rem. Earum est voluptatem vel ipsum dicta ut aliquid. Exercitationem aut saepe fugiat nobis. Quia vel quia ut et. Ea voluptatum quasi fuga qui atque fuga impedit quae.

Nisi quos perferendis occaecati. Voluptate voluptate assumenda ut. Quia id perspiciatis sit ducimus architecto. Laudantium ut maxime ut ad. Saepe blanditiis laborum quo voluptas nisi. Perspiciatis autem dolorem perferendis molestiae.

Mollitia consequatur quasi et tempore sequi et perferendis maiores. Et vitae possimus quo inventore dicta. Omnis rerum omnis quidem consequatur repellendus. Quae eum ullam ipsam maxime ratione. Ut maiores vel aut. Unde debitis autem voluptas et maxime voluptas magnam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”