Aberdeen Travel Forum

Hi,
i will move to Aberdeen in early october, and i will stay there, i guess, for some years. I will live alone for the first time, and I don't speak a good english yet.
So, i need some informations in order to be prepared to what i will find.
Is it possible to find a one bedroom flat for less then 400 pounds?
How much costs life (food, taxes...)?
How is Aberdeen nightlife? I guess there are some pubs...
How much beer costs?
Is it easy to make friends there?
What kind of wheather will I find? I don't know what to bring. I think it will be different from italian wheather. Here in Milan we have less or more 30°C in the summer and 0°C in the winter, and it doesn't rain so much.
I hope I will enjoy life in Scotland.

Thank you in advance

I almost forgot...will I find espresso?:-)

thank you again for helping me

Alessandro

You might find espresso, but it probably won't be as good as Italian! Nor will it be available in all cafes/ bars etc. Do you mean 400 pounds a month (in rent) or a week? You may be able to find something for 400 a month, but you may not have a lot of choice.......and you may have to share a bathroom and/ or kitchen (if you can afford 400 a week, you should think about buying somewhere!)The tax situation is comlicated and depends very much on what you earn, but you should expect between a quarter and a third of your wages to go in tax/ national insurance etc.
There will be lots of pubs and bars, beer is usually around 2GBP a pint (just under half a litre). The cost of living in the UK generally is fairly high, shop in supermarkets for cheaper food. Shop opening hours are usually from 9 till 5.30, but supermarkets are open for longer. Remember to budget for travelling to/ from your place of work (public transport is not cheap). As for clothes, bring lots of layers, warm waterproof jacket(s), warm shoes/ boots, warm hat/scarf/gloves, umbrella. Aberdeen weather is very different from Italy, like the rest of the UK......look at www.wunderground.com for a rough guide to the climate. The damp climate here makes it feel colder. You will make friends,of course, but you need to go out and find them. Be prepared to join local groups which interest you (salsa/ sports groups/whatever), perhaps take an evening class, make friends with your work colleagues. You will find life in the UK strange at first, but I'm sure you'll really enjoy it too!

thank you very much for helping me!
of course i mean 400 pounds per month: if i could spend 400 per week i wouldn't be worried about it. maybe I could pay 500, but I don't know how much I will spend for food and clothes and other stuffs, and also i don't know my net salary. do you think that 1200 (hypotesis) net punds per month is enough to rent a flat and to live?
To meet people I will probably look for some sport, like gym or football or tennis...at very low amateur level of course.
What about scottish food? And can I find spaghetti in the supermarkets;-)?

thank you again
Alessandro

You'll be ok on 1200BGP a month. Not rich, but ok. And yes, there's spaghetti (and other pasta types)in supermarkets. In fact, you'll probably find all the ingredients you want, just don't expect them always to taste exactly like those at home! There'll be plenty of opportunities for you to join clubs/ societies etc if you enjoy sport, even at an amateur level, so looks like you've got everything going for you. Try googling the UK pages (www.google.co.uk) for ideas about flats to rent/ sports clubs/ leisure facilities etc in Aberdeen before you arrive. The more you know, the more comfortable you'll feel.

All good advise...but not from someone who lives in Aberdeen...why not do a search on members that are local?

leics you're very kind.
what about internet connection? I will need a fast one. how much will it cost?
and blublublu...maybe some local will answer.

thank you all for answering

There are various types of Internet connection available. Fast connections are called 'broadband'. My provider is BT (the national telephone service) and broadband with them costs about 29GBP permonth. There are cheaper providers, I think, so it's another thing worth researching on the web before you arrive. Google 'broadband provider UK costs' to begin with.

I don't live in Aberdeen. That's why my advice has been mostly about living in the UK. Most things are much the same in most parts of the country. Feel free to ask as much as you like (forum or email). That's what VT is for, imo.

leics answers have been accurate! Aberdeen has been more expensive than other places in Scotland (oil industry pushed up prices) but you should still be ok in your budget. Eerything else has been described pretty well....except the weather!! It will be very cold in the winter bring warm clothes. You will not even have a good football team to go and watch locally!!

Aberdeen nightlife is ok pubs, nightclubs etc just be careful and ask colleagues about which ones to avoid.