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City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Cambridge 2026

South East England
Southampton
Median Salary £33,500
Cost of Living 72/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo
Real Take-Home £24,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4%
Unemployment 4.2%
VS
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
Southampton
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
Southampton
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: Southampton vs Cambridge

Southampton

Southampton is the UK's busiest cruise port with a strong maritime economy and two major universities driving the knowledge economy.

Full Southampton 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 Southampton

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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