City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Swansea 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%

Wales

Swansea

Median Salary £29,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo

Real Take-Home £23,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.5%

Unemployment 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

Swansea

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

Swansea

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 Swansea

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Swansea

Swansea is Wales's second city with a growing technology sector driven by Swansea University and major digital employers.

Full Swansea Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Swansea

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