Why You Should be Moving to Birmingham

Birmingham is the most populous city in the Midlands. In fact, it even comes second only to London. The city has established itself as the Midlands’ cultural, financial, and commercial centre. It can provide you with almost anything you want from a metropolitan city, and it will treat your budget better than the cutthroat capital.

So if you are someone who:

• Considers moving to Birmingham;
• Is wondering how life is in Birmingham;
• Is a master tradesman or craftsman;
• Is soon to become a student in Birmingham;

… continue reading.

Is Birmingham a good place to live

Birmingham is a great place to live and work for youngsters and is home to the continent’s youngest population. The city has over 400 schools, 15 universities, and three universities within one hour drive. Given the long list of benefits of living in Birmingham, including career opportunities and overall personal development, we can’t ignore the city’s potential.

You can grow your business there, and your children will have the chance to apply to some of the best universities in the country. You can get that diploma and move up the ladder at what you do. If we compare Birmingham with London, it’s not so expensive.

Cost of living in Birmingham

Is Birmingham expensive to live? The average price of your rent in Birmingham would be around £800 for a flat and £1000 for a house. As a newcomer, you will most likely rent for a couple of months before you decide to buy a property. On top of that, utility bills will set you back roughly another £100. Apart from that, your expenses for food and clothes will meet your current ones. You can read more about the cost of living in Birmingham in our blog post dedicated to that topic. Overall, life is not expensive in Birmingham.

It also has the potential to get even better, so an investment in a property here may pay for itself pretty soon.

We can’t find a reason not to move to Birmingham.

Where to live in Birmingham

Looking for the best places to live in Birmingham? There is something for everybody in this particular city. For example, a few more posh areas would be Sutton and Coldfield. Yes, they are a bit more flashy, plus the rents are higher, but that is the price you pay for beautiful neighbours with which you can drink your afternoon tea and chat about poetry in peace. Mosely and Edgbaston fall in the “middle class” of reasonably priced areas to live in.

Selly Oak and Bourneville are affordable and close to the University of Birmingham, which is a big plus. Even in the city centre itself, there are apartments for everybody. You just have to be ready for some compromises, of course. Those are just a couple of examples.

Things to know before moving to Birmingham

What are the downsides of living in Birmingham? Traffic is a nightmare… In most big cities, you can expect the traffic to be slow and nerve-wracking. That being said, if you are in a hurry somewhere, it might be best to take a bus. Public transport in Birmingham is well established and is often a much better solution than using your own personal vehicle.

Birmingham is multicultural and has a multi-ethnic background. It offers a large range of foods that come from all over the world. If you are not in the mood or you can’t afford a night out in a restaurant, you can simply walk the streets, enjoy the Victorian-style buildings and try out some of the fast-food options. And while you are at it, don’t forget to visit some of the markets.

The “Bull Market”, the “Balti Triangle”, or “New Street Farmers” place you don’t want to miss. You can find almost everything in those places. Not to mention that there are some bargain prices on the markets that no shopping mall or food chain can offer to you.

Be ready to meet new people, because the locals are quite friendly, some say even too much. You will be greeted everywhere you go, and the occasional conversation at the bus stop should not spook you out. Brummies are a friendly bunch, which will be a huge help to you, considering you just moved to Birmingham and you don’t know anybody.

The pros and cons of living in Birmingham

The pros of living in Birmingham

• It is a large city with moderate living costs;
• An excellent job market;
• The city of Birmingham is growing;
• Birmingham has a diverse population;
• Travel is easy both domestically and internationally;

The cons of living in Birmingham

• Inefficient and expensive public transportation;
• Birmingham gets a lot of rain;
• It’s difficult to park and deal with traffic;
• Totally different accent;

Interesting facts about Birmingham

Things you realise once you move to Birmingham

No, you didn’t board the wrong plane. You are not in Venice!

It turns out that Birmingham has more canals than Venice. This fun fact is due to the industrial past of the city. Because of the large number of heavy loads that had to be transported within the city, water canals were built to ease this task. In time the canals became impractical and now serve as a nice view in front of local coffee shops and as a way of transportation. Which actually makes getting around the city way easier.

Birmingham is not grey nor grim.

While reading about how it was bombarded for three years and how it was and still is a manufacturing city. Not to mention the glory it once had as an industrial pillar. You must think of Birmingham as this grey place filled with concrete, asphalt and steel and nothing else. And that may make a living in Birmingham a bit depressing, especially when you add the typical rainy weather.

Well, you would be wrong. It might come as a surprise, but Birmingham is actually quite green and peaceful. We also mentioned the Victorian style of some buildings – their beauty is accompanied by modern architectural solutions, like the one for the city library, for instance. The contrast between the two is stunning. You also get to enjoy Birmingham’s many parks, 500 to be exact, in which you can take a walk amongst nothing but nature and let your eyes rest upon the greenery.

The parks are well-kept, and there are even animal farms in some of them. A great option for young families to have some fun at the weekend?

It is an honour to be called a Brummie

The term “Brummies” refers to people living in Birmingham and around it. It comes from the old name of Birmingham – Brummagem, or Brum for short. So if someone ever calls you a Brummie, that means you’ve made it. You have blended in, and you have successfully made Birmingham your home.

Brummies have their own dialect

You will be shocked at first. Pay close attention to what the locals say, and remember that every sentence is shot at you with a single breath. So, soak in what you hear, try to repeat it slowly, and you will figure it out. Not that you’ll have another option; after all, you’ve invested much to move to Birmingham. A silly dialect can’t stop you now, can it?

Takeaways

• Birmingham is a big city with a slow pace. No one will push you around, and you won’t be demanded to stay on the right side of the escalator. There won’t be any queues in the shopping centres, just because everybody is a bit more relaxed and let things flow naturally.
• Birmingham is a city that combines the best of two worlds. It is big, it has many job opportunities, and it is well populated, however, it is not crammed and stressful, it has a lot of parks, and it is relaxed, not to mention that the locals are pretty friendly.
• Carefully choose where you would live in Birmingham. Some areas are prefered by singles, others by young families. If you are planning to buy a property, think in advance.

***

Have something to share? An interesting story from Birmingham, perhaps? If you are a local, don’t hasitate to give your advice in the comment section below. Thank you!

Image source: depositphotos / sakhanphotography