Cambridge vs London
On balanced weights, Cambridge comes out ahead: 55 against 45 out of 100, mostly on research output and money left each month. Your own weights, salary and household can change the answer; every figure below names its source.
Make it yours: compare Cambridge and London with your own numbers
The verdict on default settings
The lines that move the score most: research output (Cambridge, +7.2 points); money left each month (Cambridge, +3.2 points).
Balanced weights are the app's starting point, not a judgement: weights are set by you. Where a city lacks a figure, it gets the average score of the two on that line, so missing data neither helps nor hurts.
Line by line
| Line | Cambridge | London |
|---|---|---|
| Money left each monthAfter tax, rent and everyday spending, what do you keep? | €680 a monthPrice Index of Private Rents; World Development Indicators | €73 a monthPrice Index of Private Rents; World Development Indicators |
| Cost of livingWhat does a month cost you there, rent included? | €3,269 a monthPrice Index of Private Rents; World Development Indicators | €3,877 a monthPrice Index of Private Rents; World Development Indicators |
| Nice daysHow many days a year are dry, mostly clear and feel the way you like? | 21 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 22 nice days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Winter daylightHow long is the shortest day of the year? | 7 h 42 min | 7 h 49 min |
| SunshineHow many hours of sunshine in a year? | no data | 1,675 h a yearWMO Climatological Standard Normals 1991-2020 |
| Dry daysHow many days a year does it rain? | 127 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 131 wet days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Clean airHow much fine dust (PM2.5) is in the air over a year? | no data | 11.2 µg/m³WHO Ambient Air Quality Database v8.0 (2026) |
| SafetyHow rare is violent death (homicides per 100,000 people a year)? | 1.1 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) | 1.1 homicides per 100kWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Long, healthy livesHow long do people live there? | 81.4 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) | 81.4 yearsWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Health costsWhat does your household pay for health care itself each month? | €64 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) | €64 a monthWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Childcare costsWhat does full-time childcare cost you each month, after public support? | no child of childcare age | no child of childcare age |
| Paid leave for parentsHow many weeks of fully paid leave do a mother and a father get between them? | 12 weeks (mother 12, father 0)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) | 12 weeks (mother 12, father 0)OECD Family Database: parental leave systems (PF2.1) (country) |
| HappinessHow do people there rate their own lives, 0 to 10? | 7.45 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) | 7.45 of 10OECD Well-being Database (How's Life?) (country) |
| Research outputHow much research and invention happens around you, per resident? | 95 of 100OpenAlex institutions | 50 of 100OpenAlex institutions |
| Time difference from homeHow many hours apart are the clocks there and at home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Flight homeHow long is a nonstop flight home? | set your home city | set your home city |
| Airport nearbyHow far is the nearest major airport? | 36 kmOurAirports airports | 24 kmOurAirports airports |
| Public transportWhat share of commuters take the bus, tram, metro or train? | 12 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 53 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Rail and metro stationsHow many train and metro stations are within 10 km of the centre? | 6 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 300 stationsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Short commutesHow long does the average journey to work take? | no data | no data |
| Cycle networkHow many km of cycle paths and separated cycle tracks are there per km² of land around the centre? | 0.93 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 1.53 km per km²OpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Everyday needs on footFrom what share of streets are a food shop, a pharmacy, a school, a park and a stop all within about 15 minutes' walk? | 89 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling | 100 % of streetsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API: walking and cycling |
| Walking and cycling to workWhat share of commuters walk or cycle to work? | 48.8 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 13.6 % of commutersUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Quick way out by bikeHow far does a cyclist ride from the centre before the dense city ends? | 0.9 km, about 4 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics | 15.5 km, about 62 min by bikeGHS Urban Centre Database 2025 (R2024A), general characteristics |
| Near the seaHow far is the sea? | 65 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) | 36 kmNatural Earth (coastline, land, countries and populated places) |
| Near the mountainsHow far are the mountains (ground 1,000 m above the city)? | 300 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data | 300 kmTerrain Tiles (Terrarium) on AWS Open Data |
| Green spaceHow much of the land around the centre is park, wood or other green space? | 9.1 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 14.3 % of landOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Fast internetHow fast are typical internet connections? | 64 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) | 47 Mbit/sM-Lab NDT statistics (daily city aggregates) |
| English spokenWhat share of people speak English? | 98 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) | 98 % speak EnglishCLDR territory information (country) |
| International crowdWhat share of residents were born abroad? | 33.3 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 36.7 % born abroadUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| DoctorsHow many doctors are there per 1,000 people? | 3.3 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) | 3.3 per 1,000World Development Indicators (country) |
| JobsWhat share of people who want work cannot find it? | 4.7 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) | 4.7 % unemployedWorld Development Indicators (country) |
| Graduates aroundWhat share of adults hold a degree or another qualification above school level? | 79.2 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities | 57.2 % of adultsUrban Audit: cities and greater cities |
| Developers aroundHow many people per 1,000 residents name the city as their location on GitHub? | no data | 17.2 per 1,000GitHub user search |
| Clean governmentHow well is corruption kept out of public life? | 1.53 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) | 1.53 of 2.5Worldwide Governance Indicators (country) |
| Politics, left to rightHow close is the way the place votes to where you stand, from left to right? | centre, 5.6 of 10; say where you standPolitical position from election results (country) | centre, 5.6 of 10; say where you standPolitical position from election results (country) |
| Abortion lawHow close is the law on ending a pregnancy to the one you want? | also on social or economic grounds; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) | also on social or economic grounds; say where you standAbortion in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Same-sex couples in lawHow close is the law on same-sex couples to the one you want? | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) | marriage; say where you standSame-sex couples in law, from the statutes cited (country) |
| Founders Running ClubIs there a Founders Running Club chapter? | no chapterFounders Running Club communities | a chapterFounders Running Club communities |
| Coworking spacesHow many coworking spaces are within 10 km of the centre? | 6 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 144 spacesOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Climbing gymsHow many climbing gyms are within 10 km of the centre? | 5 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 30 gymsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Swimming poolsHow many public pools are within 10 km of the centre? | 6 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API | 57 poolsOpenStreetMap via the Overpass API |
| Beach daysHow many days a year are hot, sunny and dry enough for the beach or a pool? | 6 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 8 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Run or ride daysOn how many days is there a dry, calm, cool-to-mild window for a run or a ride? | 276 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 285 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few muggy daysHow many days a year is the air sticky with humidity? | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few grey daysHow many days a year is the sky overcast through the day? | 165 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 169 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Cool nights for sleepingHow many nights a year stay above 20 °C? | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 0 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few heat-stress daysHow many days a year feel 32 °C or hotter? | 1 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few snow daysHow many days a year bring fresh snow? | 3 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 2 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
| Few windy daysHow many days a year are windy through the day? | 15 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) | 12 days a yearHistorical weather (ERA5 reanalysis) |
Who may move where depends on your passports: see each city's page, or add your household in the app.
Money on €60,000 a year
| A month | Cambridge | London |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | €3,950 | €3,950 |
| Rent and everyday spending | €3,269 | €3,877 |
| Left each month | €680 | €73 |
Assumed: one person, €60,000 gross a year, renting a one-bedroom home, and everyday spending of €1,200 a month in Lisbon scaled by each country's price level. These are the app's defaults; change any of them there.
Climate month by month
| Month | Cambridge | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1 to 7 °C | 2 to 7 °C |
| Feb | 3 to 10 °C | 3 to 10 °C |
| Mar | 4 to 12 °C | 4 to 12 °C |
| Apr | 4 to 13 °C | 5 to 14 °C |
| May | 8 to 17 °C | 9 to 18 °C |
| Jun | 12 to 21 °C | 12 to 22 °C |
| Jul | 14 to 23 °C | 14 to 23 °C |
| Aug | 14 to 23 °C | 14 to 23 °C |
| Sep | 12 to 20 °C | 12 to 20 °C |
| Oct | 9 to 16 °C | 10 to 16 °C |
| Nov | 6 to 11 °C | 6 to 11 °C |
| Dec | 4 to 9 °C | 5 to 9 °C |
Air temperature in the shade, average daily low to high (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), 2021-2025).
Questions this page answers
Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or London?
For one person renting a one-bedroom home, Cambridge is cheaper: about €3,269 a month against €3,877, rent and everyday spending included. Rent comes from official rent statistics and everyday spending is scaled by each country's World Bank price level.
How much do you take home on €60,000 a year in Cambridge and in London?
About £39,727 a year in Cambridge (United Kingdom 2026 tax rules) and £39,727 in London (United Kingdom 2026 tax rules), after income tax and employee social contributions.
Where do you keep more money each month, Cambridge or London?
On €60,000 gross, renting a one-bedroom home: €680 a month left in Cambridge and €73 in London, after tax, rent, everyday spending and health care.
Which is warmer, Cambridge or London?
London is warmer: average daily highs of the air over the year are 15.4 °C against 15.1 °C in Cambridge (Historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis), Open-Meteo, 2021-2025).
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Cite this page
Borgo, “Cambridge vs London”, https://borgo.abcastor.com/compare/cambridge-gb-vs-london-gb/, figures as of 2026-11-05, reference profile. Name the original source of any figure you quote.