Bristol has been named as one of the best cities in the world to live in as a young professional.
Luggage shipping firm My Baggage has placed the city sixth in its global league table, putting it among such well-established hipster locations as Amsterdam – which headed the list – Berlin and Toronto.
The firm used the Millennial City Ranking Report 2020 by CEOWorld – which rates cities across the globe – but added further research into aspects such housing conditions, employment opportunities and income levels.
My Baggage described Bristol’s appearance in the list as “perhaps a surprise inclusion”, but added “There has to be a reason why so many young professionals are flocking” to the city.
It said: “There has been a recent rise in young people living and working here and it has become one of the most attractive, creative, fun, tolerant, and outward-looking places to live in the UK and globally.
“Young people are drawn to city centre living by a combination of access to jobs, leisure facilities and cultural pursuits. The city is known for its vibrant cultural and arts scene, which is certainly a magnet for young professionals.”
A My Baggage spokesperson said: “There are so many incredible opportunities for young professionals around the world. Which got us thinking, how do you go about deciding where to live?
“First things first, people have a desire to earn money, so the average starting salary of the city is important. It’s good to have a baseline understanding of each potential city, so you know generally what to expect in terms of remuneration.
“Then we need to know which city actually has job opportunities, and how expensive it is to live there. As a general rule of thumb, around 30% of your pre-tax salary should go on rent or your accommodation.
“If rent is higher than this, you may need to prepare to make budget cuts in other areas or look at other more affordable cities.
“Then it’s all about networking and having fun, so which cities have a good bar and restaurant scene?
“Now might not be the perfect time to take the plunge on a new lifestyle abroad, but it’s a great opportunity to plan and get the full picture on each possible destination.”
Bristol was one place below Manchester. Also in the top six is Montreal.
