Home / Compare / Cambridge vs Brighton
City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Brighton 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%
VS
South East England
Brighton
Median Salary £36,000
Cost of Living 80/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,200/mo
Real Take-Home £24,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 3.8%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Cambridge
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Brighton
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
Brighton
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
Cambridge
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Cambridge vs Brighton

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Brighton

Brighton is the UK's creative and digital capital outside London with a thriving startup scene and strong tourism economy.

Full Brighton Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

Browse live Cambridge vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Cambridge Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Brighton

Browse live Brighton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Brighton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Cambridge
£52,800 vs £42,000
Compare →
London vs Brighton
£52,800 vs £36,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Cambridge
£36,500 vs £42,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Brighton
£36,500 vs £36,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Cambridge
£33,200 vs £42,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Brighton
£33,200 vs £36,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top