United Kingdom

The UK offers an English-speaking job market, strong universities and cities with wildly different costs: London and the rest of the country are separate budgets. Rent is high, groceries and services are moderate, and transport and energy cost noticeably more than on the continent. The climate is mild and damp all year: snow is rare, winter daylight is short, and rain is possible in any season. A visa is arranged in advance and is expensive once the health surcharge is added, while renting demands local credit history and guarantors.