This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-londoner-who-moved-to-barcelona-for-a-cheaper-commute-to-his-city-job-now-spends-fiveandahalf-hours-a-day-travelling-10443533.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The Londoner who commuted to work from Barcelona – because it works out cheaper | The Londoner who commuted to work from Barcelona – because it works out cheaper |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A Londoner who figured out it would be cheaper to rent a flat in Barcelona and commute across the continent to work rather then suffer the capital's rip-off prices has taken the plunge. | A Londoner who figured out it would be cheaper to rent a flat in Barcelona and commute across the continent to work rather then suffer the capital's rip-off prices has taken the plunge. |
| Sam Cookney, 32, seemingly hatched his plan two years ago in a speculative blog post. | Sam Cookney, 32, seemingly hatched his plan two years ago in a speculative blog post. |
| Done the sums. Would actually be cheaper for me to rent 2 bed flat in Barcelona+commute to London, than get 1 bed here. Genuinely. Blog it? | Done the sums. Would actually be cheaper for me to rent 2 bed flat in Barcelona+commute to London, than get 1 bed here. Genuinely. Blog it? |
| He said he had discovered it would be cheaper for him to rent a two-bed flat in Barcelona than a one-bedroom in London. | He said he had discovered it would be cheaper for him to rent a two-bed flat in Barcelona than a one-bedroom in London. |
| On the basis of travellling to Farringdon, in the city of London, three or four times a month, he calculated that the cheaper commute would leave him with €387 extra. | |
| He bargained on being able to live in a “fairly upmarket residential district” and paying return flight costs to London Stansted airport of just €34. | He bargained on being able to live in a “fairly upmarket residential district” and paying return flight costs to London Stansted airport of just €34. |
| “I can then walk to my desk by 9.30am, with time for a Pret coffee and bacon and cheese croissant en route,” he added. | “I can then walk to my desk by 9.30am, with time for a Pret coffee and bacon and cheese croissant en route,” he added. |
| Three months ago, Mr Cookney took the plunge and moved to Barcelona after the tenancy on his shared flat came to an end and he realised he could not afford his own place, the Daily Mirror reports. | Three months ago, Mr Cookney took the plunge and moved to Barcelona after the tenancy on his shared flat came to an end and he realised he could not afford his own place, the Daily Mirror reports. |
| Sunrise over Barcelona airport this morning, 6h15am. All the @vueling parked up. pic.twitter.com/zSWgBvcE76 | Sunrise over Barcelona airport this morning, 6h15am. All the @vueling parked up. pic.twitter.com/zSWgBvcE76 |
| Crazy day. Here's a return flight to Barcelona selfie. (PS I'm still single...) pic.twitter.com/Yk82yTJ2MR | Crazy day. Here's a return flight to Barcelona selfie. (PS I'm still single...) pic.twitter.com/Yk82yTJ2MR |
| The social media manager now lives in a two-bedroom with a roof terrace which costs €800 a month. | The social media manager now lives in a two-bedroom with a roof terrace which costs €800 a month. |
| But he told the newspaper that he spends five-and-a-half hours commuting door-to-door each time he makes the trip, "which sounds grim but so far it's proved very easy". | |
| Hed Kandi sunset pool party. Nice one @W_Barcelona ;) #wbcnwetdeck pic.twitter.com/VG2cfOYxUF | Hed Kandi sunset pool party. Nice one @W_Barcelona ;) #wbcnwetdeck pic.twitter.com/VG2cfOYxUF |
| Final approach into Barcelona last night. pic.twitter.com/fVt1jylmJH | Final approach into Barcelona last night. pic.twitter.com/fVt1jylmJH |
| “I moved mainly for the hugely improved lifestyle I have here, but in reality it’s now working out that I’m actually saving money on my previous London life,” he said. | “I moved mainly for the hugely improved lifestyle I have here, but in reality it’s now working out that I’m actually saving money on my previous London life,” he said. |
| “I’ve even started spotting a few familiar faces on the morning flight so it looks like there’s a few people already doing the same thing as me.” | “I’ve even started spotting a few familiar faces on the morning flight so it looks like there’s a few people already doing the same thing as me.” |
| Random street parties with DJs and bands all over Barcelona last night. The city always surprises. pic.twitter.com/f4tIlSfF2t | Random street parties with DJs and bands all over Barcelona last night. The city always surprises. pic.twitter.com/f4tIlSfF2t |
| He said that, contrary to his original calculations, the price of his return flights have varied, with some costing 80-100 euros each time. | He said that, contrary to his original calculations, the price of his return flights have varied, with some costing 80-100 euros each time. |
| Mr Cookney has said the change was “remarkably easy” and he's now living in Barcelona just a month on. And he is enjoying every minute of it it seems: | |
| I've not missed this. pic.twitter.com/Gh8DKpkRZ6 | I've not missed this. pic.twitter.com/Gh8DKpkRZ6 |
| Last month, research from Labour mayoral candidate Tessa Jowell found it was potentially cheaper for people to commute to London from Madrid than live in the capital because “Londoners are now paying so much to landlords”. | Last month, research from Labour mayoral candidate Tessa Jowell found it was potentially cheaper for people to commute to London from Madrid than live in the capital because “Londoners are now paying so much to landlords”. |