After all the expenses—petrol (or charging), insurance, license fees, maintenance, and depreciation—a good London cab driver takes home roughly £25,000 to £35,000 a year. Think of it as a tidy salary for a job that requires a PhD in London geography.
Is it worth it? That’s like asking if a pint of premium lager is worth five quid. It depends on how thirsty you are. Some drivers clear £50k if they work every weekend and every public holiday. Others scrape by closer to £20k if they take it easy.
The glittering truth is this: you don’t become a cabbie to get rich. You become one to be your own boss, to never wear a tie, and to know the exact shortcut from the Gherkin to the Shard at 5 PM on a Friday. The money? It’s just the cherry on top of the Knowledge.
So, next time you flag one down, don’t just complain about the fare. Remember: that driver has memorized 320 routes, 25,000 streets, and 20,000 landmarks. And they still let you pay by card. Worth every penny.
