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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in United Kingdom for 2026. Brighton leads with a cost index of 122 and rent of £1,350/month.
Ranking of cities in United Kingdom for 2026. Brighton leads with a cost index of 122 and rent of £1,350/month.
Brighton: cost index 122 (+19 vs national avg 103), rent £1,350/month.
South East region average cost index: 106. Brighton is +16 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 57/100 — safety 62, healthcare 76, walkability 78.
Safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 72.4/1k). National average: 61/100.
Here's the surprising part: Brighton has a cost index of 122 — 19 points above the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £37,000 with rent at £1,350/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 44%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Brighton scores a composite score of 57/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (76), and walkability (78) 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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 |
| 2 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 |
Brighton — cost index 122, rent £1,350/mo, income £37,000, QoL 57/100.
Newcastle upon Tyne — cost index 89, rent £800/mo, income £30,500, QoL 63/100.
Brighton has a cost index of 122 (national avg: 103), rent £1,350/mo, median income £37,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 57/100.
The South East region of average QoL score is 60/100. Brighton leads with 57/100, 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.
Brighton: cost index 122, rent £1,350/mo, income £37,000/yr, QoL 57/100. Newcastle upon Tyne: cost index 89, rent £800/mo, income £30,500/yr, QoL 63/100.
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.