London is the capital city and the largest city in the UK. It dates back for two thousand years and has an abundant history and culture. There are various ancient structures in the city including Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and many others. In the UK, London is the most inhabited city, home to more than nine million people. The river Thames flows through the city, dividing it into north and south London.
This city is multicultural due to the political and social ties that it has with the rest of the world. But when it comes to art and style, London is one of the best cities to be in with regular art exhibits, style reveals, fashion weeks and more, which make it a very interesting location for digital nomads to be.
Cost of Living
With a rather high cost of living, London might not be the first choice for many digital nomads. London is among some of the most expensive cities in the world and the cost of living here is much higher compared to other popular digital nomad locations worldwide. If you choose to live and work in London as a digital nomad, you will need to earn an income to match.
Living in London
You can find a furnished apartment for rent in London quite easily since this is a city with a lot of accommodation options, including Airbnbs. You can find a rental in London without a guarantor, but this may be harder compared to if you have a guarantor due to the high rental costs.
Digital nomads can look into renting a flat in London on their own or you can move into one of the many HMOs or houses in multiple occupation in the city, which might be an ideal way to rent a property in London and save on living costs.
Where to Live in London if You Are a Digital Nomad
If you are considering moving to London as a digital nomad, then one of the first questions that you might have is where is the best neighborhood to stay in London. London is made up of various diverse neighborhoods and some are cheaper to live than others. If you are looking for a furnished flat to rent in London, there is the option to live either in the center of the city or on the outskirts in order to save money.
If you do not have an office to get into daily and want to be a digital nomad in London, you have that freedom to move around, so it is worth considering the outskirts of the city when it comes to where to live in London for expats and save money. Agencies like UpperKey offer fully furnished rentals so you can just show up with your laptop and get to work!
Transportation
The London public transport network is very good, but before you decide to rent an apartment for 3 months in London you will need to consider the cost of getting around, since this can sometimes be one of the most significant expenses. However, as a digital nomad, there will be opportunities to save money on transport costs in London since there’s no requirement for you to use it to get to work every day like many other commuters in the city.
The London Underground is the most popular option and the least expensive way of getting around the city. You can buy an Oyster Card to save money on each trip. There are also Santander Bikes or ‘Boris Bikes’ available to hire, for £2 per thirty minutes and you can use them all over the city.
What Do Digital Nomads Do in London?
Despite being an expensive city to live in, London is a great location for digital nomads due to its impressive connectivity. Whether you are working from home or find a co-working space, you can easily work on as many tasks as you like.
There are also lots of free locations in the city where you can work, such as one of the many gorgeous libraries or even in Hyde Park. In London, digital nomads tend to be the most successful in these areas:
1. Freelancing
Freelance work can be difficult to get into as a digital nomad as it requires a lot of time and effort to find customers or clients that require the work you offer performed in the location that you are working in.
However, this can be ideal if you already are a freelancer with established clients and are looking to move to London, since it gives you the freedom to identify what you get paid for the services you offer.
2. Online Stores
With the significant amount of internet access that is necessary in London, starting an online shop is an ideal venture for a digital nomad in the city, since you can usually expect it to be up and running 24/7 with no connection disturbances.
And with online shopping becoming increasingly more popular, this is definitely a great choice of work for digital nomads who want to free up their time to enjoy life while making money in the background.
Moving to London from Abroad
If you want to be a digital nomad in London and are coming from abroad, you will need to consider visa requirements and taxes. Visa requirements will depend on your passport and existing circumstances. There are visas available for those who are planning to begin a business or start running a service in the UK.
Due to the departure of the UK from the European Union, these rules now apply to digital nomads from the EU. Living in London as a digital nomad is often more difficult and complex compared to other countries since the UK border force is very strict about operating in the UK without the correct working visa. You may find it helpful to work with a tax or migration lawyer.
While it is one of the more expensive cities for digital nomads, London is a great place to live and work with lots of opportunities and accommodation options for people from all around the world.
Nicola Holder