Home / Compare / Cambridge vs Reading
City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Reading 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
Reading
Median Salary £42,000
Cost of Living 85/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,300/mo
Real Take-Home £27,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.8%
Unemployment 3%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Cambridge vs Reading

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Reading

Reading is the UK's Silicon Valley with major tech company headquarters and above-average salaries driven by its proximity to London.

Full Reading Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

Browse live Cambridge vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Cambridge Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Reading

Browse live Reading vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Reading Jobs →

More Comparisons

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