Brighton vs Cambridge
Cambridge wins on purchasing power. Cambridge software engineers have £383/month more disposable income after rent than their Brighton counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Cambridge retains £383/month more than in Brighton — that's £4,596/year extra in purchasing power.
Brighton vs Cambridge: what the £383/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Brighton software engineer roles pay £10,000/year less than Cambridge. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Brighton workers keep £3,683/month versus £4,166/month in Cambridge.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Brighton rent runs £1,400/month versus £1,500/month in Cambridge. Once housing costs are factored in, Cambridge workers have £2,666/month disposable income versus £2,283/month in Brighton — that is £4,596/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 36% compares favourably to Brighton's 38%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Cambridge delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 82 for Brighton and 87 for Cambridge, a salary of £58,000 in Brighton delivers equivalent purchasing power to £61,550 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
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