High cost of living in London produces Continental Commuter Belt

According to the European Commutability Index produced by London-based logistics company Kiwi Movers, at least 12 major European cities are now financially and logistically commutable from London.

Commuters should no longer be eyeing up Reading, Tunbridge Wells, Guildford, Gerrards Cross and Slough, but the continental commuter belt of Prague, Lisbon and The Hague.

Given the high rents and high cost of travel in the capital, renting a 2-bed flat with a balcony in the Czech capital costs less than a monthly zone 1-4 travel pass. Overall, Prague was the top city for commuting to London. This was based on both cost and commute time.

Unbelievably, it's also quicker to get from The Hague to central London than it is to travel by tube from Ruislip (west London) to Epping (Essex).

The affordability of other European cities in comparison to London is put into sharp relief by the following finding: commuting by plane up to nine times per month from Barcelona, Warsaw, Berlin and Milan, plus rent, is still cheaper than renting in and commuting from London.

In addition to being a financially better alternative, many of the cities offer other advantages, too – for example, better rights for renters, more sunshine and a cheaper cost of living.

With average rents in London recently hitting £1,211 for a one-bedroom flat (according to Gumtree), relocating to mainland Europe may have significant appeal to those lucky Londoners whose hours are flexible enough to make it work.

Londoner Sam Cookney did just that in 2013. The social media manager relocated to Barcelona and saved a reported £339 a month.