I agree, it's a fantastic city which I visit often,
I think I've always had the impression that I'm missing out because I'm not down south....
I want to feel like I'm living in an international city, but perhaps the grass isn't always greener......
Plenty of mates of mine have "tried to make it" in London and failed once the reality of the increased cost of living and nightmare commuting hits them....
If you want to have the feel of an international city, best to go and live in one, by that I mean live abroad somewhere. These mega-cities like London or NY, they have no single culture, they are a melting pot with everyone trampling on each other to climb up the ladder.
In my opinion its better to live a smaller city that's less crowded, with a single culture you can learn and appreciate. Valencia in Spain and Vienna in Austria are two cities I like, not overcrowded, public transport is not the nightmare you get in London. Good standard of living with lots of things to see and do. You can go out of Vienna have have 8 other countries on your doorstep to explore.