“I Stopped Converting”: SA Woman Shows How She’s Finally Managing To Live in the UK

• A South African woman living in the UK revealed she found peace after she stopped converting pounds to rands
• The content creator explained that once she adjusted her lifestyle to match her UK salary instead of thinking in rands, things became more manageable
• The video went viral with over 30,000 reactions as South Africans related to her struggles, with some admitting they also stopped converting

A South African woman living in the UK has shared the one simple trick that helped her finally manage life abroad without constant stress. The video, posted by @itsaurababy2 on 9 July 2025, reveals how stopping one financial habit completely changed her mindset about living in London.

In her honest video, the woman explained how she used to convert every pound into rands when she first arrived. This made everything seem impossibly expensive - especially when she was still using her South African money before getting paid in pounds.

She remembered the first time she and her partner bought Nando's, just a chicken burger and chips with bottomless Coke. The bill came to R300 per person, and she swore she would never buy takeaway in the UK again because it felt ridiculous.

Everything changed when she stopped converting currencies and started comparing her UK salary to UK prices instead. Suddenly, things made sense. A coffee might be "R100", but when you're earning in pounds and thinking in pounds, it's just part of normal life.

The woman admitted that London is still expensive, especially transport. She has to use different modes of transport to get to work, and each one costs money. But she's learned to accept it as part of living there rather than constantly calculating what everything would cost back home.

SA expats relate to currency struggles

She was honest about the challenges, saying people shouldn't ask expats for money because every single cent counts. She also warned that the glamorous lifestyle people see online comes with big sacrifices, and it's really not all cute when times get tough.

The comments section was filled with South Africans who completely understood:

@Lea shared her method:

"£10 = R10 in my head. That's the only maths I do."

@encientLu stated:

"Currency system is a scam, trust me."

@ComfortHerself agreed:

"Stopped too, babe, converting. I drink coffee ka 'R140' daily cause I work too damn hard."

@Mrs H laughed:

"I thought I was a millionaire once in Tanzania, won 1.1 million shillings. Its 7500ZAR"

@kellymarceleneg_ revealed:

"I paid R800 for a KFC 1-person box and 4 fillets."

@Malehlaka is still mad:

"I bought a sandwich for R140... I didn't pack lunch... I'm still angry 15 years later."

UK vs SA cost of living reality

According to financial experts at Wise, the average cost of living in the UK is about 79.3% higher than in South Africa, with rent being 97.5% more expensive. That's a huge jump for anyone moving there.

Content creator @itsaurababy2 experienced this firsthand. In London, a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre costs around £2,267 (about R51,800) per month. Even outside the city centre, you're looking at £1,605 (R36,677). Compared to South African rent prices, it's easy to see why converting currencies causes panic.

But, salaries in the UK are also higher. The average content marketer in London earns around £29,364 (R670,969) per year. The woman learned that adjusting her mindset to match her new reality is the only way to survive abroad.

View the TikTok clip below:

Other cost of living stories in SA

• Briefly News recently reported on a woman who showed her R4,000 monthly grocery haul from two stores, but what shocked people most wasn't the price but something else about the volume of goods she got.
• A South African woman's R12,000 grocery haul raised eyebrows, but what people blamed for the high cost had everyone mentioning the same politician's name.
• A man revealed SA's most expensive hotels with prices up to R222,000 per night, but what sparked the biggest debate wasn't the luxury but something about who can actually afford it.

Source: Briefly News