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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cambridge quality of life score: 61/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (74), healthcare (88), walkability (82), air quality (AQI 24) and green space (35%). Compared to East of England peers in 2026.
Cambridge quality of life score: 61/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (74), healthcare (88), walkability (82), air quality (AQI 24) and green space (35%). Compared to East of England peers in 2026.
Cambridge: cost index 129 (+26 vs national avg 103), rent £1,450/month.
East of England region average cost index: 103. Cambridge is +26 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 61/100 — safety 74, healthcare 88, walkability 82.
Safety score: 74/100 (crime rate 44.8/1k). National average: 61/100.
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Cambridge has a cost index of 129 — 26 points above the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £41,000 with rent at £1,450/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 42%. That's a strong position by any measure.
And there's one more thing: looking at East of England as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 26 points on the cost index. Manchester sits at the other end with index 103 and rent of £1,080/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Cambridge scores a composite score of 61/100 — reflecting its safety (74), healthcare (88), and walkability (82) metrics. Context matters here. 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 | QoL | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 | 61 | 74 |
| 2 | Swansea | 87 | £720 | £29,500 | 66 | 62 |
| 3 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 | 65 | 60 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 | 65 | 72 |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 | 65 | 70 |
| 6 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 | 64 | 72 |
| 7 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 | 64 | 76 |
| 8 | Plymouth | 97 | £870 | £31,000 | 63 | 65 |
| 9 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 | 63 | 56 |
| 10 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 | 62 | 68 |
| 11 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 | 62 | 62 |
| 12 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 | 62 | 60 |
| 13 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 | 61 | 63 |
| 14 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 | 60 | 52 |
| 15 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 | 59 | 54 |
| 16 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 | 59 | 58 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 83 | £660 | £28,400 | 59 | 54 |
| 18 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 | 58 | 70 |
| 19 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 | 57 | 62 |
| 20 | Leicester | 93 | £860 | £30,000 | 57 | 55 |
Cambridge — cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000, QoL 61/100.
Swansea — cost index 87, rent £720/mo, income £29,500, QoL 66/100.
Sheffield — cost index 91, rent £830/mo, income £30,000, QoL 65/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Aberdeen — cost index 98, rent £810/mo, income £35,800, QoL 65/100.
Cambridge has a composite quality of life score of 61/100, covering safety (74), healthcare (88), walkability (82), air quality, and green space. United Kingdom average QoL: 60/100.
The East of England region of average QoL score is 60/100. Cambridge leads with 61/100, 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.
Cambridge: cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000/yr, QoL 61/100. Swansea: cost index 87, rent £720/mo, income £29,500/yr, QoL 66/100.
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.