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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Manchester quality of life score: 56/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (50), healthcare (74), walkability (78), air quality (AQI 36) and green space (18%). Compared to North West peers in 2026.
Manchester quality of life score: 56/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (50), healthcare (74), walkability (78), air quality (AQI 36) and green space (18%). Compared to North West peers in 2026.
Manchester: cost index 103 (0 vs national avg 103), rent £1,080/month.
North West region average cost index: 103. Manchester is 0 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 56/100 — safety 50, healthcare 74, walkability 78.
Safety score: 50/100 (crime rate 110.5/1k). National average: 61/100.
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Manchester has a cost index of 103 — 0 points below the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £33,800 with rent at £1,080/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 38%. That's a strong position by any measure.
And here's the trade-off: looking at North West as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 9 points on the cost index. Coventry sits at the other end with index 94 and rent of £880/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Manchester scores a composite score of 56/100 — reflecting its safety (50), healthcare (74), and walkability (78) metrics. Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. 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 | Manchester | 103 | £1,080 | £33,800 | 56 | 50 |
| 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 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 | 61 | 74 |
| 15 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 | 60 | 52 |
| 16 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 | 59 | 54 |
| 17 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 | 59 | 58 |
| 18 | Sunderland | 83 | £660 | £28,400 | 59 | 54 |
| 19 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 | 58 | 70 |
| 20 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 | 57 | 62 |
Manchester — cost index 103, rent £1,080/mo, income £33,800, QoL 56/100.
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.
Manchester has a composite quality of life score of 56/100, covering safety (50), healthcare (74), walkability (78), air quality, and green space. United Kingdom average QoL: 60/100.
The North West region of average QoL score is 60/100. Manchester leads with 56/100, 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.
Manchester: cost index 103, rent £1,080/mo, income £33,800/yr, QoL 56/100. 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.