The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-04
COSTS TO LIVE IN
ENGLAND JUST AS HERE
From the N. Y. Herald.

London-A young couple on $5,-
900 a year have by no means struck
Eldorado when they translate the
/ five thousand into sterling and begin
to live on it in London. Despite the
attractive promise held out by the
disparity in exchange-the $4,000
during the last year would have
been worth about 1880 pounds IN
stead of normal 1000 pounds
the very elements which worked
the exchange in favor of the dollar
worked even harder to make the
pounds less when it comes to be
spent.
In the abstract it may be best
Stunned up in the following terms:
The cost of living in England
since 1913, the last year of normal
exchange, has almost tripled.
In the United States it has bare
ly doubled.
Thus, while living is nearly 100
per cent dearer than it was in times
of normal exchange, the exchange
works in favor of the American here
only to the extent of about rs per
cent.
Such comparisons as may be
made between current prices here
and in the United States bear out
the general deductions evident from
foregoing data. The groans of Am
erican tourists over hotel and res
taurant prices provide the inharmo-
mic background for this anything
but artistic verify.
In the single matter Of rent the
Londoner probably still has an ad-
vantage over the New Yorker. A
comfortable furnished apartment in
respectable and covenient, if not
fashionable, neighborhood, can be
had in London for between A and 6
guineas week. Taking five as the
average, this would mean $40 a
week, as against $25 or $50 for
similar accommodations in New
York.
With rent, however, the gain
over New York practically vanishes.
The most striking difference would
be in his income tax. He will pay
the British government with exemp-
tions only for his wife, better than
10 per cent. In America he would
pay 4 per cent. federal income tax
and in New York an additional 1
per cent state tax.
On the question of rent New York
rates on such accommodations as
have been considered in this COM
parison would invariably include
beating. They do not include heat
ing in London and this item, parti-
cularly for Americans who cannot
understand cold rooms, may easily
amount to from 50 to SIS a week.
Domestic coal is SIS ton at the
present rate of exchange; gas which
used to be ridiculously cheap, has
risen with coal, until the rate is al
most exactly what it is in New
York-$1 a thousand. Electricity is
10 cents per unit with no rebate.
Telephones cost $10O a year
To get into the housewives field,
eggs all summer have been $1.10 a
dozen, as against 81 in New York
for eggs in mid-@inter. The best top
round beef costs 60 cents as against
As and so cents in New York. But
ter is uniformly 80 cents a pound.
Sugar is 28 cents.
Laundry of all sorts must be sent
to steam laundries, as there are no
facilities for washing clothes in any
London house. Laundry under this
system for two persons with the
greatest care will run to between IS
and 81 week.
Servants All Specialists
Though servants wages seem
ridiculously low at first glance-few
good servants get more than 81 a
week-all servants are specialists In
their own field and few households,
even of two persons, can get along
without two seravnts. The cook will
not clean the knives, the parlor
maid will not make the beds and no
body except the small boy or girl
especially engaged will clean the