fair enough IMO - wages are crap in the rest of the UK
Of course they are. Thats why I earn the same as the guys in London doing exactly the same same job.
well minimum wage is the same all over the UK 
just kidding
It depends what you do really but in general, for professional level work, wages are a lot better in London and tbh.. quite a few banking jobs dont really exist outside the city/canary wharf - it is an international city so for wages/cost of living its better to compare with the likes of Tokyo, NY, etc... than other UK cities.
this is the point though. If you want to be in finance then you pretty much have to live in London, but you can make a perfectly good living, and have all the modern luxuries you want even if you dont live in London. One thing I have observed from people who live there is that they seem to think that the rest of the UK is still cooking over the fireplace, and walking to The Mill every morning to spin cotton. It annoys me that they think that outside of London the world ends.
