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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Sunderland safety score: 54/100 (crime rate 92.1/1k) — below the United Kingdom average of 61/100. Here's how Sunderland compares to cities in North East and what the data means for everyday life.
Sunderland safety score: 54/100 (crime rate 92.1/1k) — below the United Kingdom average of 61/100. Here's how Sunderland compares to cities in North East and what the data means for everyday life.
Sunderland: cost index 83 (-20 vs national avg 103), rent £660/month.
North East region average cost index: 103. Sunderland is -20 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 59/100 — safety 54, healthcare 62, walkability 58.
Safety score: 54/100 (crime rate 92.1/1k). National average: 61/100.
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Sunderland has a cost index of 83 — 20 points below the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £28,400 with rent at £660/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 28%. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. looking at North East as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 20 points on the cost index. Manchester sits at the other end with index 103 and rent of £1,080/mo. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Sunderland scores a composite score of 59/100 — reflecting its safety (54), healthcare (62), and walkability (58) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: 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 | Sunderland | 83 | £660 | £28,400 | 59 | 54 |
| 2 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 | 64 | 76 |
| 3 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 | 61 | 74 |
| 4 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 | 64 | 72 |
| 5 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 | 65 | 72 |
| 6 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 | 58 | 70 |
| 7 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 | 65 | 70 |
| 8 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 | 62 | 68 |
| 9 | Reading | 124 | £1,300 | £40,000 | 56 | 65 |
| 10 | Plymouth | 97 | £870 | £31,000 | 63 | 65 |
| 11 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 | 61 | 63 |
| 12 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 | 57 | 62 |
| 13 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 | 62 | 62 |
| 14 | Swansea | 87 | £720 | £29,500 | 66 | 62 |
| 15 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 | 56 | 60 |
| 16 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 | 65 | 60 |
| 17 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 | 62 | 60 |
| 18 | London | 142 | £2,000 | £42,500 | 56 | 58 |
| 19 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 | 59 | 58 |
| 20 | Coventry | 94 | £880 | £30,500 | 56 | 56 |
Sunderland — cost index 83, rent £660/mo, income £28,400, QoL 59/100.
York — cost index 107, rent £1,080/mo, income £34,700, QoL 64/100.
Cambridge — cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000, QoL 61/100.
Exeter — cost index 106, rent £1,020/mo, income £32,600, QoL 64/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Sunderland has a safety score of 54/100 and a crime rate of 92.1/1,000 residents. The United Kingdom average safety score is 61/100.
The North East region of 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: cost index 83, rent £660/mo, income £28,400/yr, QoL 59/100. York: cost index 107, rent £1,080/mo, income £34,700/yr, QoL 64/100.
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.