Job offer for london!!! Need help

[wish10]

Hello all,

I have recently got an job offer for london (hounslow). the cash salary quoted is 42K plus other benefits. At present I am working in bristol with cash sal of 35K. I am an Software developer.
I have no idea about the cost of living in london with that kind of salary. I have a little girl and my wife works in cardiff (full time) so we have child care expenses. Plus when we move my wife will have to find a job in london. She is also a software developer.
This job is a lead role so in a way its will be beneficial for my career but on other hand it will be a big decision to accept this job and take up additional hardship of moving from bristol (selling house) and settling again.
i think as hounslow is outskirts of london so we could manage to live outside of london and maybe find less expensive area. But as we all do we want to live in quit area with good schools and decent houses.
Is this salary competitive? can we afford a decent lifestyle ( we don't go out so much since DD was born)

I am confused should I accept this offer or continue my search.

any suggestion and inputs will be greatly appreciated.

[Gyfrinachgar]

I have recently got an job offer for london (hounslow). the cash salary quoted is 42K plus other benefits. At present I am working in bristol with cash sal of 35K. I am an Software developer. I have no idea about the cost of living in london with that kind of salary. (...) Is this salary competitive? can we afford a decent lifestyle ( we don't go out so much since DD was born)

Difficult question. Fact is that the living expenses are considerably higher in London. House-prices are just outright ridiculous there (at least from a Welsh perspective). Food, water, various commodities are also much more expensive. I recently read of a study which found that living in London is on average 33% more expensive than in other major cities of the UK. Based on my experience, this number seems to be reasonable. I think that at the end of the day 42k in London will be significantly less than 35k in Bristol. However, a job is a job, and it depends on your options. If the job offers a solid career development (i.e. later income increases), it might be worth it. Did you raise the question of future development during the job interview?

[wish10]

Thanks Gyfrinachgar for reply, you are right london is almost 30 -35 % expensive then bristol and plus much more crowded . I have been working for my present company for last 7 year and have been working on same project so for me job change will not only bring more experience on my CV plus they are offering a lead position. I work in a technology which is mostly used in finance and banking sector and this job require me to work for a client in london (oil company) so later on I can look into getting jobs opening in city .

It just that there are many positives and many negatives factors attached to my decision. The biggest negative is we will have to move and settle again in a new place and I am big scared of living in so crowded place where one bed flat cost more then a four bed detached house in west.

I have been looking on net about salary and there are various views some say its decent sal to have quite lifestyle and on other hand some say you will struggle. But you are right job is a job and I am still negotiating about salary and am trying to push for more money.

[KellyS]

Well, it is a big advantage if you live in an inexpensive area since you also have good salary but if your choice is to live with good lifestyle you don't have other choice to go to a good area but little bit expensive.