Cost of living · 2026/27
Cambridge: Cost of Living 2026/27
Centre of the "Silicon Fen" tech and life-sciences cluster. Median workplace pay (£876/week in ASHE 2025) is among the highest outside London in this set, but a typical 2-bed averages around £1,625/month - third-highest here after London and Oxford.
At a glance
- Typical 2-bed rent
- £1,625/mo
- Council Tax Band D
- £2,467/yr
- Median annual pay (FT)
- £45,552
- Population
- 149,000
Note. Like Oxford, rents are exceptional for a city of under 150,000 people - the May 2026 PIPR 2-bed average (£1,613) is above Bristol's (£1,543) despite Cambridge being less than a third of Bristol's size.
Take-home after rent in Cambridge
Monthly take-home for common UK salaries, using England tax rates (our salary calculator), then subtracting typical rent and monthly council tax / rates.
| Gross | Take-home /mo | After rent | After rent + council tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| £45,552 (local median) | £3,026 | £1,401 | £1,196 |
| £50,000 | £3,293 | £1,668 | £1,463 |
| £75,000 | £4,505 | £2,880 | £2,674 |
| £100,000 | £5,713 | £4,088 | £3,883 |
Primary industries in Cambridge
- Technology (Silicon Fen)
- Life sciences and biotech
- Higher education (University of Cambridge)
- Healthcare (Addenbrooke's)