I've had a pm from Tayser the mod in Melbourne. He's thinking about spending some time over here next year and was asking about salaries, rent and the overall cost of living, not just in the Midlands though but all over the UK. He's already posted a thread, for some reason, on the Glasgow forum so I thought I'd copy and paste his original query and a link to the thread that's currently running. I can't really give him any true indication about the costs of living in Bham myself so that's why i'm asking you lot.

Here's his question

Salaries & rent - all over the UK

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I'm going through the initial stages of getting my British Passport (snort) as I plan on having every option available to me should they arise when I'm over there - which is looking like it'll be this time next year.

So naturally, I'm now looking at what you actually need to earn to live relatively comfortably in the UK.

I've been looking at professional jobs in Edinburgh (and Glasgow) and I like what I see (mainly the sheer volume of them!) but I really have NFI bout the renting situation.

for instance, a 1 bed (and have seen one or two two beds) flats in a traditional Edinburgh tenement in Leith / Leith Walk / Morningside for around 425-450 GBP per month.

At first I thought that's about normal - comparing it to here (which I know I really shouldn;t but still) ~110 sterling = roughly 260 AUD and that's about what you'd expect to pay in inner Melbourne in a 1 bedder (and you'd be lucky to get a 2 bedder at those prices), but is that in actual fact average/good/bad/can do better?

I'll be applying for graduatish / junior IT roles (I'm graduating march next year then pissing off O/S soon after going to Uk/Europe via the US and Canuckistan) and I see that the avg salary is around 25,000-30,000 in Scotland, looks to be the same through all the northern and middle majors in England, haven't really looked in London, but I assume it's going to increase (as well as living costs). What are the rates of income tax over there?

Anyone want to suggest a good area (Scotland/England) where you'd get a decent salary and relatively affordable accomodation? Leeds? Birmingham? Manchester? Big Blighty?

thanks in advance!

and here's the link

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=218797&page=1&pp=20

If he's talking city centre, I can't really help him. one bed flats around the suburbs I've looked at, 'cos I were gonna move in with the missus in one. And they're shit. It's amazing what crap you get for £400 (one bed flat in middle of skanky estate in woodgate) compared to £500 (gorgeous two bed terrace five minutes from Bearwood high street, two minutes from great bus route into town, twenty minutes from front door to broad street, everything you need in walking distance... it's great!).

I originally started the thread in the skybar, and it fell off the page so I moved it to Glasgow as I was sort of looking at Scotland before other places.

cheers anyhow.

my plan to take over UKScrapers is well on its way! mahuah :D

Orange chips? :lol: oh dear.

Orange chips? :lol: oh dear.

Try 'em sunshine...

It's worth moving to the Birmingham area just for the orange chips :drool: