City living is currently at the centre of the cost of living crisis, with rents, food costs, and transportation all hitting record highs in these areas. London remains the most expensive city in the UK, but city locations, including Manchester and Bristol, are also proving challenging for even high earners to manage.
However, while you may be tempted to join the great city migration, saving money isn’t always as simple as moving out of the area. After all, the cost of commuting into the city every day could quickly render any savings null and void. Not to mention that being away from city amenities could cost you if you’re not already well-stocked at home. And then, of course, there’s the fact that the cost of living crisis is happening in the countryside as well.
None of this stops an out-of-city move from being worthwhile. But, if you’re not keen on a total overhaul of your lifestyle, then there are ways to make city living at least a little more affordable, and we’re going to consider them here.
Know your property priorities
City property and rental prices are high right now, and there’s no getting around that. It is, however, possible to reduce the amount you pay by accepting that you’ll need to make compromises and settling on your priorities in light of that. For instance, you’ll need to think about whether size or location matters the most to you and whether you’re willing to sacrifice those things for outside space. You should then work with inner-city estate agents who take the time to understand those priorities and who can ensure that all of your ‘must-have’ priority boxes are ticked without the need for an excessive mortgage or budget to make it happen.
Use public transport or lose money
Car owners in London can expect to pay almost £5,000 a year just to keep their vehicles on the road. Cities like Bath are also introducing clean air policies, which means vehicle owners may need to pay an additional £9 a day depending on their vehicle’s emissions. But you can save yourself all of this additional expense by simply making use of inner-city public transportation. Admittedly, costs here are also high, with a travel card to all London zones coming in at around £2,784 as of writing, but that’s less than half what you could pay for your car.
While most areas put on free events for things like the school holidays, the sheer scope of free events available in the city makes it much easier to have fun without spending. In Bristol, for instance, it’s possible to attend exhibitions, sustainability events, and light festivals, amongst others, for no cost. Other cities have equally impressive free programs, which can most often be found on city council websites and which could actually reduce your leisure spending to cover the additional costs of city living elsewhere.
City living is hardly affordable, but there are steps you can take to maintain the city lifestyle and the budget that suits you.
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