The Americans who moved to the UK - and can't believe how cheap it is
Growing numbers of Americans are relocating to the UK, with applications for British citizenship reaching a record 6,618 in the year to March 2025, partly driven by the start of Trump's second presidency. While lower living costs weren't necessarily the primary motivation for moving, many American expats have been pleasantly surprised by how far their money stretches, particularly on groceries, healthcare, and everyday goods like feminine hygiene products, though this advantage is largely offset by stagnant UK salaries and comparable housing costs that consume similar proportions of income. The real lifestyle benefit comes not from being richer, but from living in walkable communities where essential services are accessible without constant car dependency, contrasting sharply with the car-centric infrastructure of most American states.