{"id":53245,"date":"2019-11-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prohoster.info\/blog\/blog_prohoster\/plyusy-i-minusy-it-shnoj-zhizni-v-shotlandii"},"modified":"2026-05-20T17:45:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:45:20","slug":"plyusy-i-minusy-it-shnoj-zhizni-v-shotlandii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prohoster.info\/en\/blog\/news\/plyusy-i-minusy-it-shnoj-zhizni-v-shotlandii","title":{"rendered":"Pros and cons of IT life in Scotland","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been living in Scotland for several years now. Recently, I published a series of articles on my Facebook about the pros and cons of living here. The articles received a great response from my friends, so I decided it might be interesting to the broader IT community. So, I'm sharing it on Habr for anyone interested. I view it from a \"programmer's\" perspective, so some aspects I mention in my pros and cons will be specific to programmers, although much applies to life in Scotland regardless of profession. <\/p>\n

First of all, my list pertains to Edinburgh, as I have not lived in other cities.<\/p>\n

\"Pros
\nView of Edinburgh from Calton Hill<\/i>
\n<\/a><\/noindex><\/p>\n

My list of pros of living in Scotland <\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Compactness. Edinburgh is relatively small, so you can practically walk anywhere.<\/li>\n
  2. Transport. If a location is not within walking distance, there's a strong chance you can get there very quickly by direct bus.<\/li>\n
  3. Nature. Scotland is often recognized as the most beautiful country in the world. There\u2019s a fantastic combination of mountains and sea here.<\/li>\n
  4. Air. It's very clean, and after Scotland, you begin to feel how polluted it is in larger cities.<\/li>\n
  5. Water. After Scottish drinking water, which flows freely from the tap here, water almost everywhere else seems tasteless. By the way, Scottish water is sold in bottles all across Britain and is usually prominently displayed among all the bottled waters.<\/li>\n
  6. Housing affordability. Apartment prices in Edinburgh are roughly the same as in Moscow, but salaries are on average about twice as high, and mortgage rates are very low (around 2%). As a result, a person with the same qualifications can afford much more comfortable housing compared to their Moscow counterpart.<\/li>\n
  7. Architecture. Edinburgh was not damaged during the war, and it has a beautifully preserved medieval center. In my opinion, Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.<\/li>\n
  8. Low social inequality. Even the minimum wage (~\u00a38.50 per hour, about \u00a31462 per month) allows for a dignified life. Low salaries in Scotland come with low taxes, and those who truly need support receive various benefits. As a result, there are not many people who are truly poor here.<\/li>\n
  9. There is practically no corruption, at least at the \"grassroots\" level.<\/li>\n
  10. Safety. It's relatively calm here, thefts are infrequent and attempts to deceive are rare.<\/li>\n
  11. Road safety. Road mortality in the UK is six times lower than in Russia.<\/li>\n
  12. Climate. The Scottish climate is often disliked, but I find it very comfortable. Winters are mild (around +5 \u2014 +7 in winter) and summers are not hot (around +20). I basically only need one set of clothing. After Saint Petersburg and Moscow, the winters are very pleasant.<\/li>\n
  13. Healthcare. It's free. So far, my interactions with the local healthcare system have been entirely positive, and the level is very high. However, they say that if you need a non-emergency appointment with a rare specialist, you have to wait a long time.<\/li>\n
  14. Low-cost airlines. Most European low-cost airlines fly to Scotland, making it possible to travel across Europe for a minimal price.<\/li>\n
  15. English language. Despite the accent, it's great that I can immediately understand most people in most situations.<\/li>\n
  16. A wide variety of cultural leisure activities. Despite Edinburgh being relatively small, there are many museums, theaters, galleries, etc. Every August, Edinburgh hosts the Fringe \u2014 the largest arts festival in the world.<\/li>\n
  17. Quality of education. Higher education in Scotland is very expensive, more details below. However, the University of Edinburgh consistently ranks among the top 30 in the world, and in linguistics, it's even in the top five.<\/li>\n
  18. Opportunity to obtain citizenship. With a regular work visa, you can get permanent residency in five years and citizenship in another year. The UK allows dual citizenship, so you can keep your home country's passport. The British passport is one of the strongest in the world, allowing visa-free travel to most countries.<\/li>\n
  19. Accessibility for individuals with mobility challenges. Now that we\u2019ve started moving around with a stroller, this is particularly noticeable.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \n\"Pros
    \nDean Village, Edinburgh<\/i><\/p>\n

    Cons of living in Scotland<\/h3>\n

    \nEven though I enjoy living in Scotland, life here is not without its drawbacks. Here\u2019s my list:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. There are no direct flights to Russia.<\/li>\n
    2. Taxes are higher than in most countries and even higher than in England. I pay a significant portion of my salary in taxes. It's worth mentioning that the tax rate depends heavily on income, and for those earning below the average, taxes are quite low. <\/li>\n
    3. Expensive higher education for foreigners. While education is free for locals, international students must pay high fees, often amounting to tens of thousands of pounds per year. This can be significant for those relocating with a partner who wishes to study here.<\/li>\n
    4. Lower salaries for programmers compared to London, not to mention Silicon Valley.<\/li>\n
    5. Fewer career opportunities compared to major cities.<\/li>\n
    6. Not in the Schengen area; a visa is required for travel to European countries.<\/li>\n
    7. Conversely, Russians need a separate visa, which reduces the number of friends who can visit.<\/li>\n
    8. Litter. Compared to other Northern European countries, the cleanliness here is not as ideal, although it's not dirty. The local giant seagulls are largely to blame for the mess.<\/li>\n
    9. Scottish accent. It's hard to understand at first, but you get used to it over time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/p>\n

      Pros of living in Moscow and St. Petersburg that I didn't notice while living there.<\/h3>\n

      \nBefore moving to Scotland, I lived in Russia my whole life, including 12 years in Moscow and 1.5 years in St. Petersburg. Here\u2019s a list of things that I believe are clear advantages of Moscow and St. Petersburg compared to Britain. Overall, this applies mostly to any Western European country.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Opportunities to see friends. My closest friends have been with me since school and university. Even though many have left Russia, most still live in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Moving here meant losing the ability to see them often, and making new friends in a foreign country is quite challenging.<\/li>\n
      2. A plethora of professional events. Moscow constantly hosts conferences, meetups, and informal gatherings. Not every city in the world has a professional community as large as Moscow's.<\/li>\n
      3. Cultural adaptation. In your own country, you know exactly what is acceptable and what isn't, as well as what topics are safe to discuss with strangers. Upon moving, this adaptation is absent, and especially in the beginning, it causes a certain level of anxiety and discomfort: the fear of saying something inappropriate.<\/li>\n
      4. Concerts by famous musical groups. Moscow and St. Petersburg are large cities, and well-known musicians frequently perform there.<\/li>\n
      5. Affordable and high-quality internet. Before moving, I was using unlimited internet from Yota for 500 rubles (6 pounds). My British mobile operator's cheapest plans start at 10 pounds per month, offering 4GB of data. Additionally, this plan comes with a two-year commitment, meaning it cannot be changed even if prices decrease over that period. The same applies to regular home internet.<\/li>\n
      6. Banking applications. Most mobile banking apps in the UK feel like a throwback to the early 2000s. They lack even basic transaction notifications, and transactions appear in the list only after three days. Recently, new startup banks like Revolut and Monzo have emerged to address these issues. Interestingly, Revolut was founded by a Russian, and as far as I understand, the app is being developed in Russia.<\/li>\n
      7. Personal \u2014 saunas. I love going to the sauna. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, there is a wide selection to suit any budget and class. Here, it\u2019s mainly either a small overcrowded sauna at a pool or a huge spa complex at some hotel that costs a fortune. There isn\u2019t an option to just go to a sauna for a small fee.<\/li>\n
      8. Food. After a while, you start to miss the traditional foods that you could eat constantly in Russia: borscht, Olivier salad, dumplings, etc. Recently, I traveled to Bulgaria, went to a Russian restaurant there, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \n\"Pros
        \nThe Shore area, Edinburgh<\/i> <\/p>\n

        In general, considering all the pros and cons, Edinburgh is a very comfortable and safe city that offers a high quality of life, although it does have certain downsides.<\/p>\n

        Thank you for reading the article; I\u2019m happy to answer any questions in the comments.
        \n
        Source: habr.com<\/a><\/p>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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