City Comparison · 2026

Bristol vs Cambridge 2026

South West England

Bristol

Median Salary £38,200

Cost of Living 78/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo

Real Take-Home £26,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.1%

Unemployment 3.5%

East of England

Cambridge

Median Salary £42,000

Cost of Living 92/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,450/mo

Real Take-Home £25,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.2%

Unemployment 2.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Bristol

Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.

Best for Affordability

Bristol

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Cambridge

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Bristol

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Cambridge

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Bristol

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Bristol vs Cambridge

Bristol

Bristol consistently ranks as one of the UK's best cities for quality of life with above-average salaries and a booming tech sector.

Full Bristol Guide →

Cambridge

Cambridge is home to the UK's most prestigious tech cluster — Silicon Fen — with world-leading biotechnology and AI companies.

Full Cambridge Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Bristol

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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More Comparisons

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£36,500 vs £38,200

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Manchester vs Cambridge

£36,500 vs £42,000

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Birmingham vs Bristol

£33,200 vs £38,200

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Birmingham vs Cambridge

£33,200 vs £42,000

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