Hi there

Which area is better to stay in and which area is closer to travel to London.

We South Africans so any advise please!!

Thanks

Bromley is zone 5 in London so you can buy a 1 day travelcard for £8.90 and use the trains/tube/buses all day. It's also only 20 mins to Victoria.

Rochester is further out and you would be spending more money on traveling. It also takes longer to get to London.

Hope that helps.

Thanks!!

In terms of safety and value for money, which area is better? Rochester looks greener and places look bigger?

Please advise

Thank u

Rochester is OK and you would probably get more for your money. Both are just as green. In terms of safety I don't know. If you have to commute into London though Bromley would be better (and cheaper)

Rochester is a little too close to Chatham for my liking. The Medway towns are very run down (IMHO) and house prices reflect that.

Bromley has great schools if you have kids.

Yeah, I can definitly see the price difference...do you think that with a combined income fo 3000 pounds a month would you be able to live ok if you renting for say 1000 a month, we a family of three?

What about Surrey?

You should be fine on that budget.

We live just outside of Bromley which means it's a little cheaper. Check out Biggin Hill, Westerham, Edenbridge, Oxted, Godstone and Tatsfield. All nice neighbourhoods and surrounded by ridiculously beautiful English countryside! We're actually on the Kent/Surrey border.

Cool thank u so much, gonna look into those areas then!! Please any other tips will be welcomed, we have never been overseas so ja, hectic

Rochester is very old and lovely for a visit, with its very old streets and buildings like the castle and it is on a river which is always special (IMHO). I stayed there last year with my boyfriend to show him the difference between Rochester England and Rochester, NY!! But what has been said before is correct, although Rochester has some wonderful areas, it is close to areas that of industrial heritage - working dockyards for example, and also further from London.

Depending on if you want Kent or Surrey depends on where to look really, but I would add Reigate and West Wickham to the list - got shops in easy walking distance and easy train routes to London. Reigate especially is a lovely old town.

Much appreciated....we still have so much research to do...thanks for you help, exciting times

you can easily send me a PM whenever you want. Most of my family and friends live in Kent and Surrey, and so did I before I moved, so will probably know a lot of places you are looking at.