NYC —> London for a Year or Two???

Hey Guy, I am coming into a group that also has a London office. Part of me has always wanted to live in London / Europe for a year or two and scratch that itch to travel, experience new country, etc. Has anyone does this and provide any recommendations or insight? Would hope to do a year or two in NYC then switch over (save up some extra coin). I heard London pay isn’t great, and would WLB even allow weekend travel? 

11 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Know plenty of IBers, obviously the WLB will depend on group but I don't know a single IBer who hasn't taken multiple holidays (weekend and multi-week) in the last few years. Yes they may take their laptop but maybe like 70% of the time, they don't need to do anything. It's about planning and a bit of luck.

Also there are lots of Americans here, like way more than you'd think. I hear American accents pretty much everyday, very common decision to live and work here at least for a bit. Yes pay is lower by at least 30% FX adjusted in early years, COL slightly lower (especially activities/going out/travel), tax is higher. Let's say it's not a financially savvy move but many make the choice to move already knowing this.

 

I’m honestly coming to the conclusion that working in London might be not the bestdeal in Europe. The salary cut is massive, and the cost of living doesn’t follow (nyc comparison). 

WLB is better, but depending on the shop/team, your weekends won’t be that free for short trips and other things. Summer gets calmer but not as empty as Italy, Spain… 

But in terms of travelling / flight options you can go to allow anywhere in Europe from London (not the same in other cities). Then again, it all depends on the team/bank you’re heading to. 

Just a note—if your bank has offices in the Netherlands, Germany, or similar locations, I’d prefer those for the experience, being on the continent, and the lower cost of living. But of course, that’s just my personal opinion.

 

Yeah regularly meeting American bankers in London. Despite constant UK negativity in the media and this forum, they seem to enjoy it. OK, pay is 30% lower than in the US, but how much is having most weekends free and 25 days of holidays per year worth? I really feel working in MMs/BBs in London at the junior level is quite a good balance between comp/lifestyle and exit opportunities. It's harder to make the case for EBs though, as they don't have the premium recognition they have in the US while having significantly worse hours and only marginally higher comp (tax burden is real).

 

They have to, as you can carry only 5 days to the following year. But with summer and Christmas, and few long weekends there’s not much left...

 

Suscipit veniam nemo natus deleniti possimus. Est reiciendis sunt accusantium provident ullam unde nobis. Aut inventore dolor quam.

Quia perspiciatis nobis atque eligendi atque nisi sunt. Sit sit non eum eos rerum quam molestiae. Alias qui quia praesentium tenetur corporis. Alias asperiores nostrum placeat sed eveniet assumenda. Aut aut delectus voluptatem minima dolorem. Temporibus deserunt ipsum in est modi dolorum. Aspernatur et et omnis voluptatem. Ea maiores ratione ad architecto.

Consequatur est ut quisquam. Eos beatae et exercitationem nemo exercitationem rerum. Officia sunt repellat dolor non. Non et quia sunt eveniet rerum eos veritatis voluptatem. Autem alias doloribus nihil quas voluptatem et sunt.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
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...”