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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
On a £20K salary in North East, 0 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Sunderland offers the best value — cost index 80, rent £600/mo.
On a £20K salary in North East, 0 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Sunderland offers the best value — cost index 80, rent £600/mo.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | 80 | £600 | £27,000 |
| 2 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 85 | £720 | £29,000 |
Sunderland ranks #1 with a cost index of 80 and rent of £600/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 83 (-16 vs national average of 99).
Average quality of life: 62/100. Top: Sunderland at 59/100.
Safest city: Newcastle upon Tyne (56/100 safety score).
0 out of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of a £20K gross income.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Sunderland stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 80 and median income of £27,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of United Kingdom. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Newcastle upon Tyne leads with a composite score of 64/100 — reflecting its safety (56), healthcare (72), and walkability (74) metrics. And here's the trade-off: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
Sunderland — cost index 80, rent £600/mo, income £27,000, QoL 59/100.
Newcastle upon Tyne — cost index 85, rent £720/mo, income £29,000, QoL 64/100.
Sunderland ranks #1 in North East for this analysis with a cost index of 80 and median income of £27,000.
In Sunderland, rent would be about 36% of your gross monthly income on £20K. Consider cost-cutting measures or a roommate.
The region average QoL score is 61/100. Sunderland leads with 59/100, 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.
Sunderland (ranked #1) has a cost index of 80 and rent of £600/mo. Newcastle upon Tyne (#2) has index 85 and rent £720/mo — a 5-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.