I get this question all the time from people on my blog. I think it’s pretty common for Brits to wonder why someone would want to move to the biggest and busiest city in the UK. There are so many beautiful places to live across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—why would you move to the place with the most bustle? Having visited multiple places in the UK, I can speak to the beauty that can be found in all corners of it. I do believe there is so much to be discovered that just stopping at the biggest city that has the most tourism seems like it wouldn’t be giving the rest of the UK a fair chance. But there’s actually a very good reason, and in this article, I want to go over why I think many Americans looking to move abroad, such as us, are best suited living in London.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out my social media posts about expat life, go ahead and take a look at them now. They are a brief overview of my general stance on living in the UK as an American. While you’re there, feel free to give me a follow, but I also want to go into depth a little bit more on each individual topic because I think it’s important to explore them both for Americans who are looking to explore moving to the UK in the future, but also for Brits who are curious about why someone would choose to just get off the plane at Heathrow and stop their adventure there.

Let me start by saying we have traveled around a decent chunk of England at this point, and have plans to explore more of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland too. So we are devoted to the exploration of the United Kingdom as a whole. There is no lack of interest in exploring the rich culture and diversity of what Great Britain has to offer. However, there are very specific reasons why one would stop at London to settle down when relocating from the United States.

One of the things that really stands out as an American visiting London for the first time is that you can walk many, many places. Once you are somewhere that you want to be, the primary form of transportation there is simply walking around the neighborhood. The city was certainly set up a long time ago for people to travel via walking and cart, as it was many different small villages and towns that were ultimately connected into one larger metropolitan area. And you can feel that historic character when you’re in each individual area or neighborhood. This makes exploration on foot not only fun but very doable for families and solo travelers alike.

Should you need to travel long distances across London, there is both the London Underground (the tube) and the extensive bus network that is extremely well built out. I haven’t traveled significantly internationally, having been to Canada and Mexico, and having lived in the United States, traveling to many major American cities, but I have never seen a public transportation infrastructure quite like London’s. You can get anywhere in the city using public transportation in a reasonable amount of time. Depending on the time of day, it may take a while because it can certainly get crowded during rush hour, but it’s very doable compared to car-dependent American cities, and I think that is a huge boon in its favor.

If you live far out in the British countryside, you almost certainly have to have a car, and that can be very difficult for many people who are trying to immigrate to the UK. Between getting an international driver’s license for living abroad and also just learning how to drive on the left side of the road in a different country, this can sometimes be very prohibitive for American expats. I know because I have driven quite a bit in the UK. Only having to rely on public transportation and walking on foot is a wonderful way to become acquainted with British culture and daily life without the stress of driving.

Plus, when you’re navigating the tube with all your essential travel gear and luggage, you’ll be grateful you don’t have to worry about parking in Central London or navigating unfamiliar roads!

The city is constantly buzzing with energy, and it never sleeps. No matter what walk of life you’re from, what stage of life you’re in, and what your interests are, there are unlimited activities and attractions available to you. Some of them may be budget restrictive, but you can always find something going on for free if you’re paying attention to local event listings and community boards. We were able to find an overwhelming amount of family-friendly activities and cultural experiences for our little family to enjoy—far too many for us to actually take advantage of during our visit. We had several very long bucket lists that we barely scratched the surface of in the three weeks that we were there.

I know if we were to go back and live in London permanently, it would take us several years if not an entire decade to get through the list of museums, parks, markets, festivals, and attractions that we wanted to experience. By the time we even got through it all, our girls probably wouldn’t even be interested in many of those things anymore. As for hobbies myself, I love bouldering at climbing gyms, playing Magic: The Gathering at local game shops, working out at fitness centers, and attending other types of social events. So having ample opportunities to explore these types of activities and connect with like-minded communities is really important to me when choosing where to live abroad. In certain smaller communities and rural areas, these niche interests can sometimes barely exist, so being in a big international city like London is a huge selling point for expats with diverse hobbies.

Whether you’re booking short-term accommodations through Expedia for an exploratory visit or planning a permanent move to London, the sheer variety of activities—from West End theatre shows to Sunday roast pub culture—means you’ll never run out of things to explore in this vibrant city.

Between all of the world-class museums (many with free admission!), entertainment venues, historic theaters, contemporary art centers, Fortune 500 companies, and international organizations that are based out of London, there are so many merits to being in this global city. The strength of London comes in many ways, but one of which is what it has to offer both residents and visitors from around the world. Anybody can come and experience something extremely enriching—from the British Museum to the Tower of London to Borough Market—and leave with a memorable set of experiences that you simply can’t get in smaller UK cities.

I do believe there is a lot of misinformation out there about London, particularly regarding safety and crime, but I haven’t really encountered anybody who is open-minded and came here to have a good time who left with anything other than an overwhelmingly positive experience.

If you travel to London with the expectation to be afraid, you will be. If you travel to London with an open mind and a sense of wonder, you will be blown away by the magic of the city. It will dazzle and surprise you around every corner—from hidden mews houses to rooftop gardens to quirky independent shops. I can only speak from my personal experience as an American in London, but I never once felt unsafe walking around different neighborhoods, even at night. I’ve spoken to many locals who have lived there for decades, and they themselves have never felt unsafe in their daily lives.

Like with any major city—whether it’s New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago—if you have your wits about you and you’re paying attention to your surroundings, there’s nothing that’s going to get in your way. Human beings only ever want to be left alone to live their lives in most cases, and they often want to be helpful when they can. You can typically rely on the average Londoner to be exactly that, and I have only found people in London to be very supportive of tourism and newcomers so long as you’re respectful and understand that they’re just there living their lives.

Before you travel to explore London or any international destination, I highly recommend getting comprehensive travel insurance through SafetyWing—it gives you peace of mind to explore with confidence, covering everything from medical emergencies to trip cancellations.

This is probably the most important point, frankly—one that I think can sometimes be a bit elusive to those who already live in the UK. But many of the visa sponsorship jobs that are available outside of London won’t actually sponsor American workers. We’ve looked extensively at employment opportunities, and the jobs in Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle, Sheffield, and other cities give significant preference to EU immigrants and British nationals. This makes perfect sense from an employer’s perspective, and I’m very happy to see local hiring priorities, so I am not complaining about this whatsoever. But this is a reality that we, as American immigrants seeking UK work visas, have to grapple with.

There are many companies that have been recommended to us to look at in these regional cities that we have attempted to explore, and they basically sent us a canned reply telling us they weren’t interested for one reason or another. We’ve gone on to find out through expat forums and immigration groups that this is somewhat common for people in our situation seeking skilled worker visas, whereas the jobs in London tend to be more accepting of international immigrants coming in as they have the means, experience, and budget by which to sponsor them through the UK visa process.

I don’t mean to present this in any emotional capacity or to try to sway anybody’s opinions on UK immigration policy. This is simply our lived experience as Americans trying to move to the UK and something we are dealing with in our job search. Of course, if an amazing job opportunity in another city presented itself, we would certainly explore it, but I personally have applied for multiple positions in Glasgow and have been denied all of them. It’s OK, I don’t take it personally at all—I just know that the bulk of the visa sponsorship opportunities are already concentrated in London, so if it’s a numbers game, the numbers are significantly in favor of London for Americans seeking work permits.

And if you go to London and look around and see all the immigrants and expats from every corner of the globe, it makes sense. I do believe London, as an international financial and business hub, is very acclimatized to having many different people from many different places working together. When we were traveling around other UK cities, we did see immigrants and international communities in other major cities, but London by far had the most diverse expat population for a variety of economic and historical reasons. All that to say, London being the biggest city in the UK naturally has the most employment opportunities by virtue of its size and international business presence as well.

Pro tip for anyone planning to work in London: once you land that job with visa sponsorship, make sure you’re set up with Wise for international banking and money transfers—it makes managing your salary, sending money back home to the US, and exchanging currency between dollars and pounds so much easier and cheaper than traditional banks. We use it for all our international transactions and it’s been a game-changer for managing finances across borders.

As a multicultural family, London is an amazing place to feel safe, accepted, and celebrated. If you’ve seen any negativity on the news about diversity in London, please ignore it. There are a lot of false statistics and fear-mongering narratives out there that try to drive people away from experiencing the incredible vibrancy and multiculturalism the city has to offer. If you have the opportunity to visit London as an American, you would be lucky to experience the magic of this diverse, welcoming city. It is truly unique in the feeling of excitement and wonder that will swirl around you during your entire visit.

Each individual’s experience will be unique to them and will never match any other individual’s experience. Of course somebody can have a bad time, but that does not mean you too will have a bad time in London. I’ve met so many wonderful and amazing people from London—representing every ethnicity, religion, and background you can imagine—as well as many travelers and expats who have had the privilege of experiencing what London has to offer, and they all agree with Samuel Johnson’s famous quote: “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

Go, see it for yourself. Be open to trying new things. Eat the incredible international food from every cuisine imaginable. Drink the proper British tea. Have a pint in a traditional football pub. Cheer for a Premier League team you’ve never heard of. Visit during festival season. Explore neighborhoods beyond the tourist areas. Give London a chance to change your life for the better.

And while you’re exploring the city and connecting to public Wi-Fi in cafes, on the tube, or in hotels across London, don’t forget to protect your online privacy and secure your personal data with NordVPN—especially important when you’re managing banking information, job applications, and sensitive documents during your move abroad.

I hope this has shed some light on my position as to why I think London would be best suited for our family’s international relocation. I have strong emotional ties to other cities in the UK, such as Sheffield, and if job opportunities with visa sponsorship presented themselves in other cities, we would certainly explore them. With all of the criteria listed above—public transportation, activities, cultural opportunities, employment prospects, and diversity—we have to look at things holistically and see where suits our unique situation as an American family moving abroad the best.

Cost of living aside (and yes, London is expensive!), I do think London gives the most opportunity to the most people, especially American expats and international immigrants. I do believe it can be cost prohibitive in many ways, so you have to be smart and resourceful to be successful living in London on a budget. Often that means living in outer London zones or commuting towns and commuting into Central London for work, as well as making other financial concessions. So it’s not all unicorns and rainbows if you want to prance around London like Paddington Bear. You do have to look at some hard numbers, research neighborhoods, calculate living expenses, and figure out if London can suit your financial situation. But I do believe if you can make it work, it’s worth putting in the effort to live in one of the world’s greatest cities.

Thinking about making the move abroad yourself? Whether you’re considering London, another UK city, or a completely different international destination, the logistics of moving abroad can feel overwhelming—from visa applications and job searches with sponsorship to finding housing and navigating healthcare systems in a new country. Rebecca and I have been through it all as Americans living abroad, and we’d love to help you on your journey. Book a personalized consultation call with Rebecca to get expert guidance on your move abroad. We’ll share our firsthand experiences, answer your specific questions about living in the UK, and help you create a realistic roadmap for your own international adventure.

For more stories, practical tips, and insights about our expat life and family travels, subscribe to our blog and follow along as we continue exploring the world with our family! We share everything from visa application tips to finding international schools to the best travel essentials for families moving abroad.