Blogs > A snapshot of UK Cities

Snapshot into... Canterbury

• July 08, 2022

Canterbury, located within Kent, is home to many gorgeous buildings, excellent schools, and affordable houses. It's understandable why thousands of London families relocate here each year given the area's high-speed commuter connections to the city.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 695,000 people. They also provide some specialist services for a wider population, including renal services in Medway and Maidstone and a cardiac service for all of Kent based at William Harvey Hospital, Ashford. Their vision is 'great healthcare from great people'.

Facts about Canterbury

• The King's School in Canterbury is the oldest school in the country. The school was built in 597 CE (common era) and is believed to be the oldest still-functioning school in all of Europe.
• The famous cycling race the 'Tour de France' has passed through the city twice, once in 1994 and again in 2007. During the 2007 stage one of the race finished in Canterbury and it was estimated it brought a £40million boost to the economy.
• Named Canterbury Sound or Canterbury Scene a new genre of music got its start in Canterbury. The genre is based around groups that rose to fame in the late 60s and early 70s in progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz.

Cost of Living in Canterbury

Cost of Renting Accommodation per month in Canterbury

One-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£833.33
One-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£587.50
Three-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£1,433.33
Three-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£1,250

Transportation

1ltr Petrol	£1.53
One-Way Public Transport Ticket	£4.00
Monthly Public Transport Ticket	£96.00
1km Taxi Journey	£1.24

Entertainment

Meal out for two in a local pub	£12.00
Meal out for two in a mid-range restaurant, 3 courses	£60.00
Cinema tickets for one person	£10.50
One-month gym membership	£30.00
Tennis court rental for 1 hour on the weekend	£12.33
Beer 0.5ltr bottle	£5.00
Coke/Pepsi 0.33ltr bottle	£1.55
Cappuccino	£2.93

Time It Takes to Travel by Train from Canterbury to Cities in the UK

City	Time it Takes to Travel
London	1 Hour 10 Minutes
Bristol	3 Hours 9 Minutes
Cardiff	4 Hours 22 Minutes
Manchester	3 Hours 59 Minutes
Newcastle	4 Hours 15 Minutes
Birmingham	3 Hours 12 Minutes
Liverpool	3 Hours 54 Minutes
Edinburgh	5 Hours 49 Minutes

Education in Canterbury

According to the government website, Canterbury has 35 primary schools and 17 Secondary schools. To find out more information about term dates, applications, standards, curriculum and general education, visit the Gov.uk website.

The university of Kent is one of the country’s leading academic institutions producing world-class research, delivering outstanding teaching and serving the communities. The pioneers who helped build the University of Kent into the diverse, global, and exciting community that it is today were the small group of students and faculty that arrived in 1965.

Things to do in Canterbury:

Howletts Wild Animal Park

Howletts Wild Animal Park is a 90-acre adventure in beautiful ancient parkland that is ideal for great days out in Kent with the entire family.

Westgate Gardens

The Westgate Parks are located to the north-west of Canterbury, with the historic landmark Westgate Towers forming the main entrance to the parks. The park is made up of four distinct areas: Westgate Gardens, Tannery Field, Toddler’s Cove and Bingley Island Local Nature Reserve. The River Great Stour runs through the centre of the park linking the urban and rural landscape, which is rich in heritage and wildlife.

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge is an Art Gallery, Library and Visitor Information Centre situated in the heart of historic Canterbury. This award winning facility provides state-of-the-art exhibition galleries, excellent educational facilities and a varied programme of events for all ages.

The Marlowe Theatre

The Marlowe is one of the UK's leading theatres. Our programme includes some of the biggest and best artists and companies, with regular visits from the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Relocating to Canterbury

If you’re an international doctor looking to relocate to Canterbury, or another location in the UK, please email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your journey to relocate to the UK.

Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of vlogs and blogs to the group every day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 60 videos on everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS!

Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go to IMG Advisor the Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.