Winner on purchasing power
Cambridge
After paying rent, a software engineer in Cambridge retains
£173/month more than in Leicester —
that's £2,076/year extra in purchasing power.
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
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,293
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
24% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,493
Cambridge vs Leicester: what the £173/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Cambridge software engineer roles pay £18,000/year
more than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cambridge workers keep £4,166/month versus
£3,293/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cambridge rent runs £1,500/month
versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in,
Cambridge workers have £2,666/month
disposable income versus £2,493/month in Leicester —
that is £2,076/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 36%
compares favourably to Leicester's 24%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cambridge |
Leicester |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,500 |
£800 |
-47% |
| Transport |
£75 |
£62 |
-17% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£118 |
-24% |
| Groceries |
£300 |
£258 |
-14% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,996 |
£1,922 |
-4% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 87 for Cambridge
and 63 for Leicester,
a salary of £68,000 in Cambridge delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £49,250 in Leicester.
Cambridge £68,000 ≈
£49,250
in Leicester
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
Cambridge
£3.31
Leicester
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Cambridge
£1.79
Leicester
£1.48
Gym membership
Cambridge
£48/mo
Leicester
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Cambridge
£13.92
Leicester
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Cambridge or Leicester?
+
Cambridge pays a median £68,000 vs £50,000 in Leicester
— a gross difference of £18,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Cambridge professionals
have £173/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Cambridge vs Leicester?
+
In Cambridge: gross £68,000 → £4,166/month net take-home.
In Leicester: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cambridge leaves £2,666/month
vs Leicester's £2,493/month.
What salary in Leicester matches Cambridge purchasing power?
+
Approximately £49,250 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£68,000 in Cambridge, based on a cost-of-living index of
87 (Cambridge) vs 63 (Leicester).
Is Cambridge or Leicester cheaper to live in?
+
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 87 for Cambridge (London = 100).
Rent in Cambridge averages £1,500/month (1-bed)
vs £800/month in Leicester.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Cambridge?
+
A software engineer in Cambridge earning £68,000 takes home
£4,166/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,500/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 36%
(stretched).
In Leicester the equivalent ratio is 24%.