A woman has been stunned by how much her standard of living has improved since leaving London for Manchester. Lecia Jacobs claims she's putting aside more cash while renting a two-bedroom flat, complete with a jacuzzi, in Manchester than she ever managed while living in a 'mouldy' house share in London.
The London Experience
Lecia, 31, originally from Manchester, decided to move to London after graduating where she ended up forking out around £1,000-per-month, including bills, for a "mouldy" room in a shared house. The circumstances prompted her to question her decision and together with boyfriend Dan, also 31, she decided to return to Manchester.
Realisation of Poor Living Conditions
Lecia explained: "It felt like London had totally defeated us. I don't think I realised until now how much living somewhere awful can affect you. At first, I felt unsure about moving back to Manchester. I do like an adventure, and because I'm from there, it didn't feel as exciting to me as somewhere completely new."
She added: "But we've definitely come out better for it. I'm not getting roped into the same rush here. Life moves at a slightly slower pace. It feels easier to breathe and not like I'm constantly chasing the next thing. And, when I was in London, I was saving nothing. Now I'm putting a few hundred pounds away each month; which is a huge shift."
Details of the London House Share
When Lecia relocated to London in 2021, she agreed to share a four-bedroom property, with rent divided at £825 per person. As she occupied the largest room, she ended up paying more, leaving her with £1,500 remaining each month. Casting her mind back to her time in the house share, she recalled: "It was full of old rotten furniture. There were mice, too. I genuinely can't believe how much we were paying for it. I started off in the smallest room in the house. It was cramped, mouldy and honestly felt a bit haunted because everything was so old and neglected."
She added: "I was given this yellow and orange-stained sponge mattress - not foam, actual sponge, like the stuff you'd wash dishes with - but I put my mattress topper on it and tried to ignore the reality of where I was living. Over time, the issues started to wear me down. Nothing was ever fixed and even still, the rent kept going up."
The Manchester Upgrade
Since making the move to Manchester, Lecia and Dan have been paying £925-per-month each, bills included, for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat on the 16th floor, complete with a balcony overlooking the city. The couple also enjoy complimentary access to the building's rooftop pool, gym, steam room, sauna and games room.
Lecia, who documents her life on Instagram under the handle @leciasfeast, admits she still has "itchy feet", but has decided she will never move back to London. She said: "I can now afford to go on three holidays a year and still save a little on top. The two don't compare. In London, I had given up in a lot of ways. I was just existing rather than living. Now, I'm living the high life – for the same price."
