City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Aberdeen 2026

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%

Scotland

Aberdeen

Median Salary £40,000

Cost of Living 76/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £28,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 3.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Aberdeen

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

Best for Affordability

Aberdeen

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

Aberdeen

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

Aberdeen

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

Top Salaries: Cambridge vs Aberdeen

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe with above-average salaries driven by the energy sector despite a challenging transition period.

Full Aberdeen Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Aberdeen

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