Cost of living · 2026/27
Oxford: Cost of Living 2026/27
University city with rents out of all proportion to its size - a typical 2-bed averages around £1,650/month, second only to London among the cities in this set. The 2026/27 area Band D (£2,678) is also among the highest here. Median workplace pay is strong (£827/week) but does not close the rent gap with cheaper regional cities.
At a glance
- Typical 2-bed rent
- £1,650/mo
- Council Tax Band D
- £2,678/yr
- Median annual pay (FT)
- £43,004
- Population
- 166,000
Note. Rent pressure reflects an acute housing shortage: a compact, green-belted city of about 166,000 people with two universities, major hospitals and a large research economy. The May 2026 PIPR 2-bed average (£1,662) exceeds every other city in this dataset outside London.
Take-home after rent in Oxford
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £43,004 (local median) | £2,874 | £1,224 | £1,000 |
| £50,000 | £3,293 | £1,643 | £1,420 |
| £75,000 | £4,505 | £2,855 | £2,632 |
| £100,000 | £5,713 | £4,063 | £3,840 |
Primary industries in Oxford
- Higher education (University of Oxford)
- Publishing (OUP)
- Life sciences and healthcare
- Automotive (BMW MINI, Cowley)