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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
On a £50K salary in United Kingdom, 22 out of 27 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Sunderland offers the best value — cost index 83, rent £660/mo.
On a £50K salary in United Kingdom, 22 out of 27 cities keep rent under 30% of income. Sunderland offers the best value — cost index 83, rent £660/mo.
Sunderland ranks #1 with a cost index of 83 and rent of £660/month.
The median city is Birmingham — cost index 97, rent £950/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 103 (0 vs national average of 103).
Average quality of life: 60/100. Top: Sunderland at 59/100.
Safest city: York (76/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | 83 | £660 | £28,400 |
| 2 | Swansea | 87 | £720 | £29,500 |
| 3 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 |
| 4 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 92 | £830 | £30,500 |
| 7 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 |
| 8 | Leicester | 93 | £860 | £30,000 |
| 9 | Plymouth | 97 | £870 | £31,000 |
| 10 | Coventry | 94 | £880 | £30,500 |
| 11 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 |
| 12 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 |
| 13 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 |
| 14 | Birmingham | 97 | £950 | £32,200 |
| 15 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 |
| 16 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 |
| 17 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 |
| 18 | Manchester | 103 | £1,080 | £33,800 |
| 19 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 |
| 20 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 |
The real cost of living can't be reduced to a single number. But this comes close: Sunderland stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 83 and median income of £28,400, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of United Kingdom. That's a strong position by any measure.
What's equally notable: the spread across all 27 cities is 59 points on the cost index. London sits at the other end with index 142 and rent of £2,000/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Swansea leads with a composite score of 66/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (65), and walkability (62) metrics. But here's the flip side: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
Sunderland — cost index 83, rent £660/mo, income £28,400, QoL 59/100.
Swansea — cost index 87, rent £720/mo, income £29,500, QoL 66/100.
Belfast — cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £30,500, QoL 62/100.
Newcastle upon Tyne — cost index 89, rent £800/mo, income £30,500, QoL 63/100.
Aberdeen — cost index 98, rent £810/mo, income £35,800, QoL 65/100.
In Sunderland, rent would be about 16% of your gross monthly income on £50K. Well within the recommended 30% threshold.
The country average QoL score is 60/100. Sunderland leads with 59/100, reflecting 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 83 and rent of £660/mo. London (#27) has index 142 and rent £2,000/mo — a 59-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.