City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Plymouth 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 West England

Plymouth

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £750/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cambridge

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

Best for Affordability

Plymouth

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

Plymouth

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 Plymouth

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Plymouth

Plymouth is a major naval base and maritime city with strong defence industry employment and a growing digital sector.

Full Plymouth Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

Browse live Cambridge vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Plymouth

Browse live Plymouth vacancies on Reed right now.

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£36,500 vs £42,000

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£36,500 vs £28,500

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Birmingham vs Cambridge

£33,200 vs £42,000

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Birmingham vs Plymouth

£33,200 vs £28,500

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