Help Needed with city choice for potential new comer

I would like suggestions about a list of a few less expensive cities in the UK to live. I have lived in Toronto, Canada most of my life and plan moving to the UK around Christmas to begin a new life. My main objective is to pursue university studies and work simultaneously. I have been doing some research and London seems to be expensive city so I would like suggestions about any other cities with good economy, jobs, great universities, low to moderate cost of living, great attraction and night life, etc. Please feel free to shoot me with any suggestions based on personal experience as well as fact.

http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=44104
http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=57917
http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=54115
http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=21495
http://www.travellerspoint.com/forum.cfm?thread=58005

This should give you some ideas.

And maybe you also want to drop a line to GregW:

http://gregwtravels.travellerspoint.com/archive/042008/

He is a long-time member of TP who moved from Toronto to London last year.

London can be expensive, but not everywhere. People can and do live comfortably.

And where else can you buy Cornflakes and lightbulbs at 3 in the morning?

Quoting fabyomama

London can be expensive, but not everywhere. People can and do live comfortably.

And where else can you buy Cornflakes and lightbulbs at 3 in the morning?

....
Any city or town with a 24 hour supermarket. There are 100s that have them.
London can be done cheaply after probably a year of research and 4 people sleeping in one room unless Mummy and Daddy are millionaires. Forget the place until youve done Britain for at least 6-9 months and have spoken to people on a budget that live there. Also, when you do meet them ask to see their place. If theyre not too ashamed to show you then take a good look and afterwards ask about their incomings and outgoings. Scary stuff. Its an alright place but only for a quick visit if you are a newcomer. Its filthy too and really doesnt represent England as far as hygeine and safety is concerned. Most expensive public and private transport in Europe too.

[ Edit: Edited on 10-Aug-2009, at 08:52 by BedouinLeo ]

How long did you live there for? It sounds like you had a bad experience.

It's a tough one really, as less expensive usually means less work or lower wages.

Someone mentioned Brighton in another thread. Great nightlife, a very good University. They call it 'Little London' as it has the same feel about it - and probably because it's less than an hour from the real one and about half an hour from Gatwick airport. I love Brighton. I used to go there on holiday from London when I was a kid, so got to know it pretty well. Over the past decade or so it's become known as the 'gay capital of England', though you don't see that in the brochures. It's an amazing place really. Fantastic atmosphere and great people. You'll never get bored!

Bournemouth, also on the south coast, is a beautiful and quite a large town - well, 3 towns actually, as Christchurch and Poole kind of meld into it. It has a very good university (big too), good night life, a small airport that links Europe, a huge language student population (fancy some English teaching?) and one of the best beaches in Europe. It has, or at least had, a reputation of being something of a retirement town - a kind of running joke really. And while it is popular for retirees, it's mostly young people you see out and about. And it's commutable to London - about an hour and a half I think. I was thinking of moving there myself - though not to retire.

What do you do or are interested in studying? And - it's a cheeky question - how old are you?

edit: Ignore that last question - it was the 'to begin a new life' that's made me ask.

[ Edit: Edited on 10-Aug-2009, at 19:03 by fabyomama ]

Hello guys!
Thanks so much for all your valuable suggestions....You've given me so much to begin with for which I'm grateful.....And especially for you, fabyomama....I appreciate your numerous suggestions, and just to answer your questions....my decision to move to the UK isn't necessarily because of terribly experience with Toronto, or Canada for that matter......It's just that after living here for over ten years through high school and college I'm less satisfied with life here in general....maybe it's just me, but it's been a little over two years now since I graduated from college (Biotechnology), and I'm still no closer to finder a decent job....not necessarily in that particular field. Besides, I virtually abandoned my family back in Germany to be here all alone hoping for something better than what I've experienced so far. I feel I should try somewhere else like the UK. After all I'm only 26 (well almost). Besides, I'll be much closer to family....By the way I still intend to live independently as has been the case most of my life.......So there you have it, fabyomama.......feel free to shoot me with more suggestions......By the way guys......what's your respective impressions about Sheffield Oxford and Manchester in relation to cost of living, jobs, night life, and school (university)?

[ Edit: Edited on 10-Aug-2009, at 21:56 by triggermo1 ]