Moving to Edinburgh
Edinburgh also known as Auld Reekie or “Athens of the North” is the beautiful capital of Scotland. The population in Edinburgh was estimated to be around 464,990 in 2014. Auld Reekie is the second most populous city in Scotland after Glasgow. The city offers a good balance between culture and employment. Edinburgh is a magnificent city which is rich in both history and culture. It is also home to the Scottish Parliament, the University of Edinburgh and the Bank of Scotland.
Moving to Edinburgh
Edinburgh is situated on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, in the southeast of Scotland. One of your observations of this city will be it’s impressive architecture, especially Edinburgh’s castle which is a historic fortress that looms over the city. Moreover, compared to other major UK cities, Edinburgh is an affordable city to live in for young professionals, students, professionals and families alike. The city offers many job opportunities and therefore attracts many expats. Edinburgh has the second largest Financial services market in the UK and numerous large companies operate there.
Working in Edinburgh
As previously mentioned, Edinburgh’s financial services market is quite large. For those looking for employment in this sector you will find vacancies from establishments such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, Baillie Gifford, Standard Life and Virgin Money.
Edinburgh has also attracted companies such as Dell, Adobe and Amazon to the city. It’s technology sector continues to grow stronger with both foreign and home companies such as Skyscanner and FanDuel. Furthermore, Edinburgh boasts of large and top companies in other sectors. You will find the following top companies in Edinburgh:
- Scottish widows (life insurance)
- Wood Mackenzie (Energy;life sciences consultants)
- Cala group (house builder)
- Dundas & Wilson CS (legal services)
- The Glenmorangie company (Whisky distiller)
- Johnston Press (Newspaper Publisher)
Whether it is in finance, tech, renewable energy, tourism or the creative sector, Edinburgh is the city to go to. People moving to Edinburgh can start their job search online and by checking local newspapers. You can also join a recruitment agency. Please make sure you have updated your CV/Resume and have a cover letter ready. Join in on career fairs to find available jobs. Networking is key these days so ask your friends and family about available job positions that they may know about. Network online by making an online profile on a professional network such as Linkedin.
Housing in Edinburgh
People relocating to or moving to Edinburgh can choose to find temporary accommodation for a few weeks so they have enough time to find a more permanent accommodation. This way you can get to know the different neighborhood before making a long term commitment. Even as a capital, Edinburgh is more affordable than cities like London.
However like in all big cities, accommodation in the centre of the city is more expensive than accommodation on the outskirts of town. The average price of a 1 bedroom apartment in the city center is around 672.87£ per month according to Numbeo. The average price of the same 1 bedroom apartment outside the city center will cost on average around 510.97£.
The first step to finding accommodation in Edinburgh is exploring the different neighbourhood. For example, the stockbridge is an area north of the city centre which is popular with families and tourists. Morningside and Bruntsfield are districts that are also popular with families due to the good schools there. Calton Hill area is near a vibrant night life scene and is popular with students, whilst New town; a historic area is popular with the professionals. Another historic area that is gaining popularity especially, with young people is Leith. No matter which area you choose to live in Edinburgh, it is important to know the cons and pros of that district before making it your area of residence.
Applying for schools in Edinburgh
It is especially important for people with children moving to Edinburgh to explore the neighbourhoods before committing to one because every household in Edinburgh has a catchment area. This means that the catchment area decides at which schools you will be given a priority place. Moreover, Just because you live near a school does not necessarily mean that that school is in your catchment area. It is also advised to check if places are available at the school you intend to apply for before you move to that catchment area. Requests to schools from people living in its catchment area are given priority. You are allowed to apply for multiple schools in your catchment area.
