If you’re sick of the frenetic, stressed out pace of the Big Smoke and the sky-high prices of the south then pack your bags and head up north.
Whether you’re renting or buying house prices are considerably lower, life is more relaxed with the friendliness of locals and you can experience a unique cultural experience.
Rents are Cheaper
As of April 2014, it was 96.2% more expensive to rent a property in London than the rest of the UK according to a report from Homelet.
And on the flipside of this, average monthly rental amounts are decreasing in Yorkshire and Humberside and the North East.
The average home in London is valued at approximately £331,000 compared with £117,000 in Northern England and about £109,000 in Northern Ireland.
So whether you’re renting or buying, it makes sense to live up north.
The People
It might feel cliché to say that Southerners are more individualistic, more extroverted, and less amiable.
But all the anecdotal evidence says it’s true.
Whether it’s a bus driver who doesn’t acknowledge your existence, or the pregnant lady stood up on the tube, everyone who visits London comes away with a story about someone who was rude.
It’s a general rule that the further north you go, the friendlier people get.
Newcastle has been voted one of the friendliest cities in the UK, and the northern accent, particularly Yorkshire, Geordie and Glaswegian are considered friendly and honest.
Culture
While you could argue that everything happens in London, this simply isn’t true.
The best music has sprung forth from the north.
Think of the Beatles, Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, The Stone Roses, all of whom hailed from the north.
Literary geniuses have been born and bred there too, from the Bronte sisters to Alan Bennett.
Leeds has the International Film Festival and Manchester boasts the Halle, the longest established symphony orchestra at 151 years old.
So if you’re getting itchy feet and considering moving down south, do it.
But don’t worry; you’ll be running back to the unpretentious, straightforward and beautiful North of England soon enough.
Image via Craig Booth, with thanks
