Will 25,000 pounds afford me a decent lifestyle in london?

Undoubtedly. I seem to be in a similar position to yourself, just left University earning a similar amount. The main thing to consider is the the London property market is far too fluid to get any rough estimation of how much a decent flat will cost. I have friends paying £80 a week and live in great flats in the east. Similarly I have friends who are paying £200 a week and not getting much more. Here are some pointers. Take advantage of family living in London, use it as a base to hunt down the right flat. If you make a snap decision you may end up missing something much better. Try and get a flat mate, try www.gumtree.com. You'll get a lot more if you get a two bed than if forced to go for a studio. Invest some money in an annual travel card. You'll save £500 over a year easily. Better still cycle everywhere, transport in London is a major drain on income. I think you can live a fine life in London on £25k, but ultimately you'll need to earn more.

London is an extremely expensive city in which to live; You will need at least twice this amount of money to even have a chance of living decently.

It depends where you live. You might be able to purchase some new cardboard so you can build your own place under the north circular! If you want a place half decent expect to pay at the very least £1000.00 per month rent. After taxes you might be able to afford to go to the chippy once a month. Harsh but true!

No not unless you can stay with someone you know and pay them for food and rent quite cheaply! London is very expensive for everything - food, drink, going out and clothes! Then you may have to add transport costs to travel to work! You will probably have very little if anything at all left to pay off student loans - unless you live very frugally - like a student - i.e.beans on toast and pasta - hardly go out and don't buy anything for a while! Rents are extortionate too!!! If I were you I would pay off the student loans and get some work experience first!

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Define "half decent". Aren't Canadians supposed to have a really high standard of living? You'd be able to rent an perfectly acceptable room (or flat with a partner chipping in), go out, buy stuff, take a cheap holiday and pay off your student loans as long as you're not the sort of person who buys lunch out at trendy cafebars and takes taxis around town. You would need to watch the needless luxuries like that. Ignore these princes(ses). I lived off £18k for 3 years. The most important thing is to not be a London sheep and just spend money, especially on rent. There are very affordable and nice places to live that don't cost a fortune - I lived in huge house in Barnes for £100 a week, for example. But yeah, if half decent for you is a penthouse Knightsbridge, forget it.