Looking for American Expats in London?

Thinking about moving to London as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what US American expats in London wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

• Culture and food are the heart of it. London scores 79% for culture and nightlife and 83% for culinary variety, with endless things to do and eat.

• Careers open up, in your own language. 72% of expats in London say the move improved their career prospects (vs. 55% globally), and English means no barrier (75% find the language easy).

• It's a launchpad for travel. 86% rate the opportunity to travel positively and 83% the availability of public transportation, with the rest of Europe a short hop away.

• It's diverse and easy to plug into. Americans praise the multicultural acceptance and accessibility of the city.

• Housing and costs are brutal. Just 11% of expats in London rate housing affordability positively and 14% the general cost of living - among the lowest scores in the survey.

• The weather is a constant complaint. Only 26% rate the climate and weather positively, and the grey, short winter days wear on people.

• Locals can feel unfriendly. Just 32% say making local friends is easy and 53% rate friendliness positively, with dirty streets and crowds adding to it.

• Politics and services frustrate. The political mood comes up often, and healthcare affordability rates 52%, below the global average.

For Americans, London offers culture, careers, and an international life with no language barrier and easy travel. The trade-offs are the cost of living, the weather, and a cooler social welcome. Overall happiness (64%) sits below the global average, but for career and culture it's hard to beat.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our American members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.

• Browse our network of members to get to know American expats in London and connect with others.
• Take part in our expat forums to get firsthand tips and information from fellow Americans in London.
• Meet other American expats and global minds at 600 monthly official events and share your interests at more than 4,600 monthly activities in London and across the globe.

InterNations provides an easy, casual way to get to know expats from the USA and further afield in your local community. Sound good? Then let us welcome you into our London Community today!

Our community in London is also very active offline. Our InterNations Ambassadors organize regular events and various expat activities, e.g. a dinner in London’s hippest restaurant or an outing with other American expats to explore the outstanding beauty of the Cotswolds, "the Heart of England". These activities are a casual way to get to know expats from the USA in your local community as well as Americans in the UK nationwide. Interested? Simply become a member and we’ll be happy to welcome you among our Americans living in London!