Winner on purchasing power
Cambridge
After paying rent, a software engineer in Cambridge retains
£123/month more than in Birmingham —
that's £1,476/year extra in purchasing power.
Birmingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£52,000
Net monthly
£3,393
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,543
Cambridge
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£68,000
Net monthly
£4,166
Rent (1-bed)
£1,500
Rent-to-income
36% — Stretched
After rent
£2,666
Birmingham vs Cambridge: what the £123/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Birmingham software engineer roles pay £16,000/year
less than Cambridge. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Birmingham workers keep £3,393/month versus
£4,166/month in Cambridge.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Birmingham rent runs £850/month
versus £1,500/month in Cambridge. Once housing costs are factored in,
Cambridge workers have £2,666/month
disposable income versus £2,543/month in Birmingham —
that is £1,476/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 36%
compares favourably to Birmingham's 25%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Birmingham |
Cambridge |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£1,500 |
+76% |
| Transport |
£65 |
£75 |
+15% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£155 |
+31% |
| Groceries |
£265 |
£300 |
+13% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,955 |
£1,996 |
+2% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 65 for Birmingham
and 87 for Cambridge,
a salary of £52,000 in Birmingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £69,600 in Cambridge.
Birmingham £52,000 ≈
£69,600
in Cambridge
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Birmingham
£2.47
Cambridge
£3.31
Transit (single trip)
Birmingham
£1.55
Cambridge
£1.79
Gym membership
Birmingham
£36/mo
Cambridge
£48/mo
Cinema ticket
Birmingham
£10.40
Cambridge
£13.92
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Birmingham or Cambridge?
+
Birmingham pays a median £52,000 vs £68,000 in Cambridge
— a gross difference of £16,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Cambridge professionals
have £123/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Birmingham vs Cambridge?
+
In Birmingham: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Cambridge: gross £68,000 → £4,166/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Birmingham leaves £2,543/month
vs Cambridge's £2,666/month.
What salary in Cambridge matches Birmingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £69,600 in Cambridge delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Birmingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
65 (Birmingham) vs 87 (Cambridge).
Is Birmingham or Cambridge cheaper to live in?
+
Birmingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 65 vs 87 for Cambridge (London = 100).
Rent in Birmingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £1,500/month in Cambridge.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Birmingham?
+
A software engineer in Birmingham earning £52,000 takes home
£3,393/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 25%
(comfortable).
In Cambridge the equivalent ratio is 36%.