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City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Exeter 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 West England
Exeter
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 72/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £950/mo
Real Take-Home £23,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Cambridge
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Exeter
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
Exeter
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 Exeter

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Exeter

Exeter is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with a strong professional services and knowledge economy.

Full Exeter Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Exeter

Browse live Exeter vacancies on Reed right now.

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