Why London, UK changes your FIRE math
London planners usually need a tighter handle on housing, commuting, and how much flexibility they want in retirement.
A higher annual spending baseline pushes the portfolio target up quickly, so location and housing assumptions matter more here than in lower-cost cities.
A realistic FIRE plan for London has to respect both taxes and your true lifestyle budget, not just gross salary headlines.
Local tax context
UK — ~20% effective
Compared with a $52,000/year US baseline
$28,000 higher
25x rule implication
Every $1,000/year you cut lowers the target by $25,000.