City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Milton Keynes 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

Milton Keynes

Median Salary £38,500

Cost of Living 78/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo

Real Take-Home £26,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.5%

Unemployment 3.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Milton Keynes

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

Best for Affordability

Milton Keynes

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

Milton Keynes

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

Best for Career Growth

Milton Keynes

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

Best Overall Value

Milton Keynes

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

Top Salaries: Cambridge vs Milton Keynes

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is one of the UK's fastest growing cities with a strong business services and technology sector.

Full Milton Keynes Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Milton Keynes

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