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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
On a £80K salary in East Midlands, 2 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Leicester offers the best value — cost index 89, rent £780/mo.
On a £80K salary in East Midlands, 2 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Leicester offers the best value — cost index 89, rent £780/mo.
Leicester ranks #1 with a cost index of 89 and rent of £780/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 90 (-9 vs national average of 99).
Average quality of life: 59/100. Top: Leicester at 58/100.
Safest city: Leicester (55/100 safety score).
2 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of a £80K gross income.
Here's the surprising part: Leicester stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 89 and median income of £28,500, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of United Kingdom. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Nottingham leads with a composite score of 60/100 — reflecting its safety (54), healthcare (72), and walkability (72) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leicester | 89 | £780 | £28,500 |
| 2 | Nottingham | 90 | £800 | £29,500 |
Leicester — cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £28,500, QoL 58/100.
Nottingham — cost index 90, rent £800/mo, income £29,500, QoL 60/100.
Leicester ranks #1 in East Midlands for this analysis with a cost index of 89 and median income of £28,500.
In Leicester, rent would be about 12% of your gross monthly income on £80K. Well within the recommended 30% threshold.
The region average QoL score is 61/100. Leicester leads with 58/100, reflecting its safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include ONS, Land Registry, HMRC.
Leicester (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of £780/mo. Nottingham (#2) has index 90 and rent £800/mo — a 1-point gap.
This analysis uses data from ONS, Land Registry, HMRC to rank cities in United Kingdom. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.