Cost of living in Brighton?

Question

I have just received an offer for a job in Brighton, UK. Having never left North America, I am curious as to what the cost of living is in that area.

The position pays about 50% more than the positions I am interviewing for here in Canada, but I fear the cost of living increase will wipe some of that difference out.

So what I am asking, basically, is what kind of salary there is required to live a comfortable lifestyle....such as middle class or maybe upper middle class.

Answer 1

Hello,

I'm 64 years old.
I was born in Brighton and have lived there all my life.
(Well, up till now, anyway!)
So I reckon I'm quite an expert on the place.

Firstly, take no notice about the 'gay' thing that everyone talks about.
Yes, there are quite a few in Brighton, but it is only a very small percentage, and the ones there are keep to themselves.

Regarding property.
Most seaside towns around the UK have become a little run down over the years because of the package holiday. It's cheaper to go to Spain than stay in an English hotel and the weather is better.

However, Brighton, in the very early days of the package holiday realised they would have to cater for a different type of tourist and decided on the conference trade.

This has been very successful and Brighton is now far better than it ever was. It has become very fashionable, foreign tourists flock there, and therefore, house prices have risen almost to the London level.

However, move just 5 or 6 miles out of town and prices are halved, especially to the east of the town.

Towns like Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven have been known in the past as 'old people's places, but because of the rising prices more families are moving out there.

The one main problem is the coast road going towards Brighton. It becomes very congested between 7am-9.30am and 4.30-6pm on weekdays, especially during school terms.

At times it can take you up to 45 minutes to travel the 5 or 6 miles, but that still isn't too bad compared to the centre of large cities such as London. On the other hand, you could always drive the 15 miles the other way to Eastbourne - also a very nice area but more of an old persons town.

Besides the traffic (it's also hard to park in Brighton, better to use public transport or maybe a scooter in summer) it's a fantastic place to live for people of all ages. Brighton has more restaurants per population than any other town in England, plenty of night clubs, clean beaches, everything anybody could ever want, especially as we now have global warming and we are experiencing much milder winters.

I don't know how long your job offer will remain open but I strongly suggest if you are thinking of moving anywhere where you haven't been to before that you take a holiday there first to see what the place is like for yourself.
What one person likes, another may not.
All I can tell you is that there are many Canadians living in the town.

Good luck

Answer 2

I live in Brighton but commute to London every day and frankly, I don't know how people in Brighton on the sort of wages that are paid there can afford a decent lifestyle. That said, these are the kind of costs you're dealing with in a typical Brighton month:

- rent on a room in a nice flat/house in a good area: £400
- supermarket food shopping: £200
- bus pass for a month: £70
- gas, electricity, phone: £60

You can eat out at an OK restaurant for about £15-20, a gin and tonic will cost you £3.50 and entry to a nightclub at the weekend about £8. There's a good few theatres where tickets are about £15-35 a seat. A cinema ticket can cost £6.50.

I reckon to fully enjoy life in Brighton, a salary of £20,000 will get you going. It's a brilliant city and you'll love it!

Answer 3

Living In Brighton Uk

Answer 4

Well, England is VERY expensive -

It is so hard to get on the property ladder..

and Brighton IS pretty expensive

I would say if you want a biggish house, decent car etc - around £40,000+ would be a nice figure.. You "should" be able to afford a £300,000 house with that.. but maybe not.. (i'm a student, i still live with my parents, so i don't know..)

I know someone who is earning £25,000+ and is struggling to buy a 2 bed Flat over there.

In my opinion - you will more than likely not get the same type of living over here, than you would over there.

But i don't know...

Google Brighton homes for sale, to get an idea..

It really depends on what you want, i mean if you want a house like this...

http://www.latesthomes.co.uk/properties/2002/2002_PRP100792_IMG_0.JPG?1169002848258

That one is £675,000 ( you would need to be earning £45-50,000+ to get that)

Even this one,
http://www.latesthomes.co.uk/properties/2509/2509_3493_IMG_1.JPG
which looks pretty overlooked is..£615,000

which is CAD1,417,907 !!!

You could live comfortabley in less.. but i mean, surely the living would be better over there?

You can get other smaller houses that you could live comfortabley in... But.. idk...

i mean this one is.. £305,000
http://www.latesthomes.co.uk/properties/2246/2246_32504851_IMG_0.JPG?1169003307579
which i would say is middle middle class and its not that bad but.. look at the size of the garden!!!
http://www.latesthomes.co.uk/properties/2246/2246_32504851_IMG_1.JPG?1169003409666

It's tiny!!
surely Canada is nicer...?!

I don't mean to put you off.. i don't even know what living is like over there...but.. You know.. i wouldn't reccommend here

Answer 5

it is a very touristy spot, i visited brighton back in '04 and it was like a boardwalk from Atlantic City, NJ-very clean, very much on the coast, they have their famous rock beach...brighton beach...i saw a lot of little get away cafes and restaurants hidden behind the main buildings, which were mainly hotels and resorts-i found England to be twice the price of living in America, and i'm hailing from New York-so you can imagine-if you budget yourself and resort to Tesco's...their local grocer...you could manage...i would think it is more middle class but their middle class is somewhat upper class America-hope this helps shed some light to your question!

Answer 6

i live in brighton.....but im 16 so never had to realli worry about costs....but i do know it is quite expensive.....you get thousands of tourists ....but overall it is a lovely place.....most people are gay.....not me.....but there all lvely and friendly and i hope you enjoy ur say.......jus te money thing is gonna be a big difference than america.....gd luck..x

Answer 7

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health and stuff is all free but cost of living is very high (even compared to the rest of the uk) but it is a very nice safe place, but if you dont like drags queens and gay people then stay away lol