Cost of living · UK
What salary do you need, city by city?
What salary do you need to live in the UK's cities?
The salary you need to live alone varies enormously by city — driven mostly by rent. London demands far more than Newcastle for the same lifestyle. Below is the rough salary needed to cover the essentials living alone in each major UK city.
Verified 12 August 2026
| City | Monthly cost | Salary to get by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | £2,665 | £39,500 | Details → |
| Brighton | £2,105 | £30,000 | Details → |
| Cambridge | £2,035 | £29,000 | Details → |
| Bristol | £1,985 | £28,000 | Details → |
| Edinburgh | £1,900 | £27,000 | Details → |
| Manchester | £1,810 | £25,500 | Details → |
| Glasgow | £1,635 | £22,500 | Details → |
| Birmingham | £1,605 | £22,000 | Details → |
| Cardiff | £1,605 | £22,000 | Details → |
| Leeds | £1,590 | £21,500 | Details → |
| Nottingham | £1,555 | £21,000 | Details → |
| Liverpool | £1,495 | £20,000 | Details → |
| Sheffield | £1,485 | £20,000 | Details → |
| Newcastle | £1,425 | £19,000 | Details → |
| Belfast | £1,255 | £16,000 | Details → |