City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Cambridge 2026

East Midlands

Derby

Median Salary £31,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £730/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

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%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cambridge

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

Best for Affordability

Derby

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

Derby

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: Derby vs Cambridge

Derby

Derby is a major aerospace and manufacturing hub. Rolls-Royce headquarters here makes it one of the UK's leading engineering cities.

Full Derby Guide →

Cambridge

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

Full Cambridge Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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