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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in United Kingdom for 2026. Southampton leads with a cost index of 113 and rent of £1,130/month.
Ranking of cities in United Kingdom for 2026. Southampton leads with a cost index of 113 and rent of £1,130/month.
Southampton: cost index 113 (+10 vs national avg 103), rent £1,130/month.
South East region average cost index: 103. Southampton is +10 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 56/100 — safety 60, healthcare 72, walkability 65.
Safety score: 60/100 (crime rate 78.3/1k). National average: 61/100.
Here's the surprising part: Southampton has a cost index of 113 — 10 points above the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £35,200 with rent at £1,130/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
On quality of life, Southampton scores a composite score of 56/100 — reflecting its safety (60), healthcare (72), and walkability (65) 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 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 |
| 2 | Leicester | 93 | £860 | £30,000 |
Southampton — cost index 113, rent £1,130/mo, income £35,200, QoL 56/100.
Leicester — cost index 93, rent £860/mo, income £30,000, QoL 57/100.
Southampton has a cost index of 113 (national avg: 103), rent £1,130/mo, median income £35,200/yr, and a quality of life score of 56/100.
The South East region of average QoL score is 57/100. Southampton 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.
Southampton: cost index 113, rent £1,130/mo, income £35,200/yr, QoL 56/100. Leicester: cost index 93, rent £860/mo, income £30,000/yr, QoL 57/100.
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.