5 things to know before moving to manchester
TRANSCRIPT
5 Things to Know Before Moving to Manchester
POWERHOUSE OF THE NORTH
- Manchester, the powerhouse of the north, a once world leading city in textiles production and home to one of the most recognisable accents in the UK. With prices in London continuing to rise exponentially, many people are looking elsewhere for a new start in a big city. This city is rich in heritage, buzzing with as much life as you’ll find anywhere else in the world, and home to some of the most memorable characters you’ll meet.
- If you’re thinking about moving to Manchester there is no doubt it has a great deal to offer you, from the breathtaking city center and it’s unique tram system, to the clubs and bars that have cemented themselves in modern cultural history. Moving to a city is always a scary prospect, you need to do some thorough research beforehand, as always we are here to help. Here is Compare the Man and Van’s guide to what you need to know before moving to this great city.
-
- Visitors who interact with both reviews and customer questions, are a whopping 105% more likely to purchase something.
- It is important to make sure there's no ambiguity in your contact details on your sellers page.
- This should also be an active process, don’t just sit back and let the reviews trickle in, contact your customers and ask them for reviews.
It’s Cheap
31% LESS EXPENSIVE
- If you are moving from somewhere in the South West, or even the big smoke of London, then Manchester is going to be a very pleasant surprise for your wallet. The house prices and living costs of areas in the South of the UK, can be up to 31% more expensive than living in Manchester.
- Housing alone can be up to 46% cheaper. Compare to the average price of rent in London, which hit £1500pm last year, you could be saving up to £700 every month. Some Londoners spent up to £300 a month on transport, this again is reduced by up to 48% in Manchester. With food, beer and general commodities also way down on its southern counterparts, living in this city basically pays for itself.
- The biggest area where you will save money in Manchester however, is if you’re buying property. The price per square meter of space in the city center, compare to London is 85% cheaper. That statistic alone is worth considering packing up your life in the south and starting fresh in the cheery north.
CHEAPER THAN THE SOUTH
People are Friendlier
BE PREPARED TO MINGLE
- This may seem like a matter of opinion, but if you have ever directly compared a day in a Southern city, to one in Manchester you’ll understand why people say northerners are friendlier. Now this may not be what you’re looking for in a new city, perhaps you have your friends and are quite content to keep to yourself and mind your own business. If this is so then take into account that you’ll be hard pushed to find a bar or restaurant where you won’t be approached in a friendly manner.
- A recent survey was published which asked 2000 travellers where they felt most welcomed, unsurprisingly the northern states and cities were voted the most welcoming of all, whereas London was voted the least helpful by a landslide 49%.
- A further study of 400,000 participants which measured factors like extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness, showed very clearly that people get more unfriendly the more south they go. But did find that both Manchester and London have the most extroverted citizens.
-
PEOPLE ARE MORE FRIENDLY
The Weather
IT’S COLD!
- Surely the weather a few miles up north can’t that much different right? Well if you’re intending on moving to Manchester get ready to eat your words. We are all familiar with micro-climates, and if you’re used to living in London you understand how dry and sticky it can get, especially on the underground. Well you won’t have to worry about sticking to the sweaty man in front of you on the underground any longer.
- London gets an average of 594mm or rain per year, whereas Manchester’s is 787, with some surrounding areas like Bolton reaching 1397mm. Now that may not sound like too much, but take it from any Northerner you should be ready to get soaked.
- Not only is it a lot wetter, but it’s also much colder. The average London temperature rests at around 19°C, with its coldest at around 7°C. This means that seeing snow in the capital is something of a romantic novelty, which really makes no difference as it is reduced to slush by the intense footfall within minutes. Manchester on the other hand has an average temperature of 16°C with its coldest reaching just 4°C. This means you’ll have to get used to frozen lakes and ponds, a little more snow that is considered fun and some very chilly evenings when it gets to winter.
-
-
THE WEATHER
Employment
BETTER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK
- One of the key draws of the country’s capital is the seeming abundance of job prospects. Many fear moving away or to another city because they believe their best prospects lie in London. Manchester actually has an economy to rival London and is one of the biggest in the country. It is only second to London in the number of multi-millionaire residents.
- It is the fastest growing city in terms of population in the UK, and has managed to pair these statistics with promising employment rates. Unemployment has dropped by 4.6% over the past year and now has the lowest number of people claiming job-seeker’s allowance since 2008.
- Compare this to London which has a 0.1% lower employment rate than Manchester and there is really nothing to separate the two cities. They are both powerhouse economies with a growing population and the inbuilt infrastructure (in theory) to handle it.
EMPLOYMENT
Transport
NO MORE UNDERGROUND
- London makes it incredibly difficult to get around without using its vast infrastructure of public transport. This can be incredibly expensive, stressful and frankly unpleasant. But the reason so many people flock to the underground networks is because running your own car or motorcycle can be even more expensive. Dealing with the congestion charge and emissions tax makes running a car in the capital basically unnecessary.
- This is not the case in Manchester, although the unique tram system is as iconic as it is charming, the vast array of underground stations and regular busses simply doesn’t exist like it does in London. Although it is much cheaper, and often as reliable, the majority of Mancunians have their own method of transport. If you are like many Londoners and have yet to learn to drive, this is something to take into consideration. However with all the money you’ll save on rent and living costs, as well as the lack of congestion charge it’s a different kettle of fish from driving in London.
-
TRANSPORT
Resources
Compare the Man and Van
Our Handy Blog
Our FAQ Page