How much money do I need realistically for a move to England?
Posted by xomissblonde@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 46 comments
Hi guys! I’m a 25 year old woman from Switzerland. Well Germany actually, still hold my german passport if it’s of any relevance, been in Switzerland for 15 years and don’t see the reason to pay a lot of money for the naturalisation, only to end up with a worse passport. Lol.
Now onto my reason for posting: I fell madly in love with an Englishman and we made the decision to reside in England in order for him to get his doctorate degree. And well, I love the country. I also feel miserable socially and have failed to have built even ONE meaningful friendship. I need a fresh start, really. I speak the language perfectly, he has a huuuge family I’d hate to take from him and quite frankly I think a lot of swiss people have a stick up their ass. My family consists of parents, doggo, my two sisters and my step aunt, all able bodied so can visit!!
There’s no rush for anything but swiss economy makes it hard to save a lot. Prices are skyrocketing, a loaf of bread is 5 CHF!
If I move to the UK, I know I’d lose my C permanent residence permit eventually and they’d be after me for the taxes up until my move date (I’m not a high earner and swiss taxes are chill, I currently pay 4.5k annually). He’d need to prove that he can provide for me to the government, that’s no issue as he is well over the threshold and I plan to get a job IMMEDIATELY. I went to culinary school but don’t plan to do that for much longer, maybe uni?
Brexit made everything a lot more difficult, I’m well aware and they are very, very strict with foreigners.
So realistically, how much money do I need to not have too much worry about leeching off my boyfriend? How much would import cost for my car if I wanted to take it? A rough figure would be much appreciated, the internet wasn’t super helpful. We’d live in London btw!
Sorry for any formatting issues!
Glass_Confusion448@reddit
£60,000
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
Wow what a figure! Really that much?
Training-Bake-4004@reddit
I had a job lined up, but it cost me basically the cost of a flight to move the other way UK->CH (heck, if anything I made money moving because I got 3.5k for my car and didn’t buy a new one once I’d moved).
Like, yeah my expenses went up because rent and food is more expensive in CH. But in terms of actually moving costs it can be cheap or expensive depending on how you do it.
As for the cost of living in the UK. You can get by in London for a year for 20k as a single person if you’re mega frugal. As a couple it will be cheaper per person. Obviously the actual cost depends on how fast you can get a job and your lifestyle expectations.
Glass_Confusion448@reddit
Moving expenses; upfront costs to lease a place to live; rent, utilities, food, transportation, and other living expenses for a year or more while you decide what you "want" to do for a living...
Start writing it down and looking up how much each thing costs.
S3v3nsun@reddit
I kind of agree with this human! You would have to start looking for a job now unless you have something lined up..
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
I’d still be working a hospitality job while I figure out my long-term goals. I’d sell all my own furniture- there is no need for me to take anything really apart from my car. He lives with housemates although he makes a top 10% wage, housing market is crazy and he seems to like it there. I wouldn’t mind joining at all! I can’t not work, I’d go mental! But thank you so much for your insight! I really appreciate it a lot, £60’000 isn’t impossible
smooth_rebellion@reddit
That sounds more like the cost it takes to move a family. One individual especially without pets would be a third of that - maybe half. I’ve expatted before and doing it again now.
neonblakk@reddit
Such an insanely high figure. If you have the right to work in England then you obviously don’t need anywhere near that much. The shipping of your goods will be a few thousand, plus a plane ticket, first month’s rent and a deposit will be another few. I’ve moved loads of places and never had anywhere near that kind of money saved up, and didn’t need it.
Unless you plan to spend a year unemployed aim for like £10,000-15,000 (which should even cover emergency expenses).
gowithflow192@reddit
Why are you so wedded to your car? Sell it.
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
First big girl purchase, I was so proud! So that’s why I was attached to it but I will definitely be selling her
Training-Bake-4004@reddit
Don’t take the car. You could sell it in Switzerland and buy an identical one in the UK and make a profit.
On the other hand if you import it you’ll have to pay fees and then you’ll have a car where you can’t see properly turning right, and where you’ll have to get out and walk round every time you need a ticket from a parking garage (seriously, this is so much more annoying than you expect). Also, it’ll be an absolute nightmare to sell a LHD car in the UK.
oneKev@reddit
I expect a treaty with Canada, USA, and Mexico, for the UK to join the NAFTA free trade zone soon. Go for it!
FantasticalRose@reddit
The UK planning to join the North American free trade agreement???
oneKev@reddit
https://capx.co/a-trade-deal-with-the-us-is-in-everyones-interest/
FantasticalRose@reddit
I personally would be very surprised. It seems a bit of a stretch
oneKev@reddit
For many reasons, Biden was not a fan of making a deal with the UK. A new USA president is coming. No matter who it is, I believe a UK trade act will be completed as part of the updated NA trade act in 2026.
oneKev@reddit
The world is a changing place. The UK needs a trade act. Easiest is to add the UK to NAFTA2.
juicyjuicery@reddit
You want to move from Switzerland to the UK?!?! Without a promise of a better job OR a ring? Girl honestly wtf
GruppaArmavir@reddit
I really really really wouldn't move to the Uk. PLEASE, for your sake. See if he can come to you. The UK is absolutely abysmal nowadays and a political disaster. Freedoms removed left and right, taxes added, it's terrible.
NotMyUsualLogin@reddit
This from someone who claims there’s 700,000 illegal immigrants per year entering the UK when the reality is that last year it was less than 30,000.
GruppaArmavir@reddit
I said 700K net migrants, not illegals, but I don't expect you to get anything right anyways. Green party is that way mate.
Educational-Bat-8116@reddit
Well said. The downvotes prove your comment right, silly rabbits.
Most-Natural1064@reddit
Can I ask where you noticed a limitation to freedom? It's a serious question, limitations have been put in place in Italy as well and I would like to know about what's happening there.
Defiant-Dare1223@reddit
Absolutely should get the Swiss passport. It's not much money and you never know what will happen in the future. Especially given the Swiss-EU relationship is not super stable.
If you can't save in Switzerland you won't anywhere else in Europe. Certainly not in England.
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
I see you did the other way around as I intend! About my passport- the government has the option on asking you if you want to get the process started and they never did so I never bothered. I would be able to do the “verkürzte Einbürgerung” because I grew up here, speak perfect argovian dialect. They also can’t really kick me out with a C-permit so what am I to lose, really?
It’s not like I can’t save, it’s just becoming less easy because of the 12% health insurance increase and inflation but all in all I am definitely okay. I also live by myself. Things aren’t taking a good turn politically either, just makes you wary of things to come.
Defiant-Dare1223@reddit
I also live in Aargau!
If you move to the UK, you have to go through the B permit process all over again should you return.
It would allow your future husband to naturalise by the "simplified naturalisation" route rather than regular. Meaning B1 German and he'd qualify (and trust me as a British person who is around that level I'm not good enough to get through the interview in the normal procedure).
It'd also make it much quicker for him in terms of years to qualify.
Finally it'd save you on your C renewals every 5 years and your husband from getting a B permit every year.
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
That’s something to consider definitely. If I do my naturalisation before I leave, he’d also have an easier time with acquiring it when we get married. Let’s see how he fares learning german, the English speaking it gives them the sweetest of accents. As of now he is just taking the piss out of me when I speak german💀
wyrdyr@reddit
Moving there today. For my partner and I, with one cat, it came to about £25,000 - £30,000. Thats for visas, health surcharges, move containers, pet transport and first month’s rent.
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
Woooow good luck! I hope everything goes smoothly and you get settled in soon. I would be moving on my own so I could cut that figure by half?
wyrdyr@reddit
Yep - approximately. I would say for shipping it would have been the same cost regardless, but that's only about a tenth of that figure
joevose@reddit
Minmum wage in the UK is about £11.5 per hour which would be about £24K a year for a 40 hour a week although London wages tend to be a bit higher. If you’re not contributing much to the rent then that that would probably feel like a decent amount of money, because rent is most people’s biggest expense. If you’re going to get an apartment for the two of you and you want to contribute more fully then you might feel more comfortable in the 35-45k per year bracket. Most people don’t really feel comfortable in London until they are over the 60k bracket due to the expense of living in the city.
Although everything said above is dependent on what you want your life style to be. If you want to be going out to cocktail bars every weekend and restaurants multiple times a week and lots of takeaway then even 120k would feel not enough. If you’re happy living modestly and cooking and can budget well then you don’t need a huge amount of money.
S3v3nsun@reddit
LMFAO!! "madly in love" It sounds like you are a lecher in general!!
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
Why do you say that? No need to be rude to someone just asking questions
S3v3nsun@reddit
Oh, come on! It’s not like she’s asking him to adopt a pet llama or anything. But hey, why not expect a whole life plan while she’s at it? “Hey babe, while you’re out getting that doctorate, can you also figure out how to finance my life? Oh, and what’s the import fee for my car? Asking for a friend!” 😂
I mean, who needs marriage when you can just live the dream of being a high-maintenance girlfriend in a foreign country? Just imagine the look on his face when he realizes “madly in love” translates to “I need a rough figure on taxes and car imports.” Classic romantic comedy material right there!
But hey, let’s keep it real! If you’re not married, you might want to ease off on the “I’m totally not a leech” vibe. It’s the 21st century—who needs a commitment when you have Excel spreadsheets for budgeting? 🤷♂️
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
Who said I want him to pay for it? All the money will come from me of course. All my expenses will be taken care of by me, the UK just sadly requires someone to vouch for you. I will continue to work hard as I’ve been doing here and I’ve never taken a pence of his.
I will be sacrificing a lot and not him. I will have to give up having my family nearby, my job, my apartment (that I pay for), my car and a country I’m familiar with for him. Because I love him and don’t want to take anything from him. I’ve never had anything “just handed to me”.
He currently isn’t in uni, he wants to purse the doctorate after we are comfortably settled in.
S3v3nsun@reddit
Kudos to you! It sounds like you’re a strong woman who knows what she wants, and I really admire that. I get that the initial post might have come off differently, but I can see you’re committed to making this work.
About your car—let’s take a moment to discuss that. What year, make, and model is it, and how much do you owe? Shipping a car can be pretty expensive, often starting at around $5,000. If you still have a loan on it, selling it might be the better option. It could save you a lot of hassle and help you start fresh in the UK without the added stress of shipping costs.
Transitioning to a new country is a big deal, and it sounds like you’re ready to tackle that challenge head-on. Just make sure you weigh all your options carefully. If you need any advice or support, I’m here for it!
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
My car isn’t worth it, I just clung to her because she was my first big girl purchase. Her name is Dolly. She has 235k kilometres, I own her outright. She’s a 2013 Suzuki Kizashi, a model you will likely not see a second time. I bought it for 6k CHF at 204k kilometres and while she still runs great, I am okay with letting her go.
S3v3nsun@reddit
I totally get it! I’m currently in Japan and see a few of those Kizashis around—they’re pretty awesome! The fact that you’ve taken good care of Dolly is commendable, especially with that mileage.
I found shipping quotes as low as 1,500 CHF for a roll-on service, but just a heads up—it wouldn’t include insurance, so you’d be taking a risk there.
How about taking Dolly out for one last adventure? A weekend trip to a beautiful spot, snapping some photos, and creating some memories before you say goodbye could be a great way to bid her farewell.
I’m sure you can still sell her for a decent price, which would definitely help you start fresh in the UK. Remember, this is just the beginning of a new chapter, and letting go of Dolly could be a symbolic step towards that exciting journey! If you need any tips on selling or what to do next, just let me know!
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
I don’t need to move RIGHT NOW. I’m an overthinker, I just need a plan and a goal. She will be with me for a little while still! The fact that you see a few Kizashis around is amazing! I recently saw a red one around, mine is white. Blew my mind, let me tell you! But you’re in Japan so that makes a lot of sense. Thank you for helping me and even looking up stuff, you came down really hard on me initially, it made me tear up but you thought I was a leech so it’s all good! I don’t respect people expecting others to pay for their way of life.
S3v3nsun@reddit
You got this Bro! Write down your goals and break them down to steps! Good luck!
dwylth@reddit
You'd be wanting to import a right hand drive car into a left hand drive country?
xomissblonde@reddit (OP)
“Need?” No. Definitely not, transport is quite amazing. More of a “just in case” thing. I’m definitely open to selling though, as it doesn’t make that much sense to import a right hand drive to begin with. Probably damn expensive too. A car is definitely more of a necessity in Switzerland than in London
poulan9@reddit
You want to sell it because you'd also have to pay tax when you import it and then it will need conversion (head lights etc). It's just not worth the headaches.
S3v3nsun@reddit
I agree with this!
Educational-Bat-8116@reddit
Please don't do it... it's misery central.
patricia_andert@reddit
Moving to England sounds like an adventure, but your heart's in the right place, meaningful friendships take time, just like a perfect soufflé.