Many have left London due to the cost of living or dreams of a sunnier lifestyle, but one Australian has revealed the reasons why it is “better than Australia”.
Bronte Chandler, an Australian living in the UK, has revealed that city life has some major attractions not offered at home – and travel is just one of them.
“I’m Australian and I live in London and I’m going to give you the reasons why you should move here,” she said in a video.
“I’m usually one to complain, so this will be a nice change.”
Ease of travel, job opportunities, people you meet and “slow ageing” are some of the reasons why Bronte thinks living in the English capital is better than living in Australia.
1. The ticket to Europe and the rest of the world
Bronte said it’s hard to beat London when it comes to catching a quick, cheap flight for an instant European getaway.
“You can literally jump on a plane after work for £20 and go to Italy,” he said.
Bronte Chandler from Australia loves life in London and said the British capital offers easy commutes, interesting new friends and better job opportunities than Australia.
Bronte, an Australian living in London, thinks it is much better than her home country partly because there is less pressure to settle down.
He added that travelling so cheaply, easily and quickly is something “unheard of” in his country.
Bronte loves that London is just seven hours from New York, ten hours from Los Angeles, about ten hours from Singapore and four hours from warmer, more exotic African destinations.
2. We are all poor
Bronte “turned things around” and said that the dire cost of living in London was actually incredibly liberating.
“Obviously, it’s very stressful not having money, but in general we’re all in the same boat, which means we’re all poor,” he said.
She said the general lack of disposable income meant a “more level playing field” that made it acceptable to stress about money, without feeling like you were “falling behind” others.
3. Nobody is in a hurry to grow up.
While the Australian said this might be a little “random”, she loved that, at 27 and in London, there was no pressure to settle down.
“In Melbourne, 27-year-olds are establishing themselves, whereas in London they act like they’re 21,” he said.
“I have friends in their 30s and none of them are anywhere near settling down.”
He said growing older was a “slower process” in the British capital and left more time for fun, travel and pursuing a career.
4. The amazing jobs on offer
The Australian digital creator added that because London is a global city, if you work in marketing or business, the job opportunities are “huge” as many big brands have their headquarters there.
“Depending on your industry, you can get a shitty job,” he said.
‘I got a job in social media at a global agency and the scale of projects and budgets is huge compared to Australia… I’m managing the European markets.’
5. There is always something to do
According to Bronte, London’s reputation for culture is well earned and living in a global city means there is always something to do.
This marks a big change from life in Australia, which both expats and locals have criticised for being too “boring”.
Whether it’s a concert, a performance, the opening of a new bar or restaurant, enjoy that there’s always something going on that makes life in the British capital so ‘exciting’.
6. The people you meet
While the expat admitted she is “naturally drawn” to other Australians overseas, she said it is usually those with a “like mindset”.
“They always want to do something, they are here on a temporary visa and they have so much energy, they are people who say yes to everything.”
But Bronte said the city is also a hub for meeting new friends from different countries and other parts of the UK and building an “amazing” global network.
7. It forces you to leave your comfort zone.
The Australian said that living in a global city forces you to step out of your comfort zone by exposing yourself to so many new things.
‘Living abroad is one of the best things you can do; it gives you a great perspective and makes you feel like there’s a whole world out there.’
He added that what would normally seem like a big problem in Australia is not so significant thanks to the perspective that living in London has given him.
Bronte added that the experience of living in a completely new city was “exciting” and many Australians who were about to move couldn’t have agreed more.
“That’s it, I’m buying my ticket,” said one.