London vs Cambridge
Cambridge wins on purchasing power. Cambridge software engineers have £456/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Cambridge retains £456/month more than in London — that's £5,472/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Cambridge: what the £456/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, London software engineer roles pay £4,000/year more than Cambridge. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,360/month versus £4,166/month in Cambridge.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,500/month in Cambridge. Once housing costs are factored in, Cambridge workers have £2,666/month disposable income versus £2,210/month in London — that is £5,472/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 36% compares favourably to London's 49%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Cambridge delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 87 for Cambridge, a salary of £72,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £62,650 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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