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%

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.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Brighton

Browse live Brighton vacancies on Reed right now.

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