Choosing a Suburb to Live In

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Choosing a Suburb to Live In

London is a huge city and the first major thing you'll want to do is decide which area you want to live in. For most of us fresh of the plane, living in the city centre isn't an option unless you're staying at a hostel or working at a live in job in a pub or hotel. But that’s ok because as you venture away from the city centre you’ll see that London is surrounded by some pretty cool suburbs, each with their own character.

Most new arrivals tend to go west. Places like Acton, Shepherd's Bush, Fulham, and Hammersmith are packed with antipodean working holidaymakers. Few venture out east but if you'd rather meet locals and steer clear of fellow backpackers then east could be a better option. But if you want to abuse your body and do it up at Aussie pubs or house parties every weekend then you'll want to make sure you're in an area that's full of people with the same mentality and pubs that cater to that crowd.

A commute of an hour each way to work isn't uncommon, but you won't want it to be much longer than that.

If you don’t already have a job, make sure you get one before committing on housing because a commute from Acton to Greenwich every day will be a bit of a bitch. A commute of an hour each way to work isn't uncommon, but you won't want it to be much longer than that. Also keep in mind that certain tube lines are notoriously crappy (District and Northern) and others are considered very good (Jubilee) so try to avoid bad, overcrowded tube lines if you can.

Price should come into consideration as well with south and east London generally being less expensive than west and north. Also, the further from the centre you go, the cheaper your rent will be (with some exceptions) but the longer and more expensive your commute will be.

Where you decide to live will have a huge impact on your London experience so have a look at my London area guide and choose wisely!

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