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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average rent in Oxford: £1,500/month — £464 above the United Kingdom median of £1,036/month. Rent-to-income ratio: 46%. Compared to South East cities below.
Average rent in Oxford: £1,500/month — £464 above the United Kingdom median of £1,036/month. Rent-to-income ratio: 46%. Compared to South East cities below.
Oxford: cost index 132 (+29 vs national avg 103), rent £1,500/month.
South East region average cost index: 123. Oxford is +9 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 58/100 — safety 70, healthcare 84, walkability 85.
Safety score: 70/100 (crime rate 55.2/1k). National average: 61/100.
One stat flips the usual narrative: Oxford has a cost index of 132 — 29 points above the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £39,000 with rent at £1,500/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 46%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Zooming out, looking at South East as a whole, the spread across all 4 cities is 10 points on the cost index. Brighton sits at the other end with index 122 and rent of £1,350/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Oxford scores a composite score of 58/100 — reflecting its safety (70), healthcare (84), and walkability (85) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 |
| 2 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 |
| 3 | Reading | 124 | £1,300 | £40,000 |
| 4 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 |
Oxford — cost index 132, rent £1,500/mo, income £39,000, QoL 58/100.
Southampton — cost index 113, rent £1,130/mo, income £35,200, QoL 56/100.
Reading — cost index 124, rent £1,300/mo, income £40,000, QoL 56/100.
Brighton — cost index 122, rent £1,350/mo, income £37,000, QoL 57/100.
The median rent in Oxford is £1,500/month — £464 above the United Kingdom national median of £1,036.
The South East region of average QoL score is 57/100. Oxford leads with 58/100, 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.
Oxford: cost index 132, rent £1,500/mo, income £39,000/yr, QoL 58/100. Southampton: cost index 113, rent £1,130/mo, income £35,200/yr, QoL 56/100.
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.