Cambridge
United Kingdom · Europe · 145K people
Compact university city built around colleges dating back to the 13th century.
Ranked #162 of 303 overall · 52.21, 0.12
Overview
Cambridge sits in United Kingdom, on the European continent, home to roughly 145,000 people. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. It carries a strong student-city energy, with a young, transient population. People who choose to settle in Cambridge tend to point to a strong sense of safety, solid infrastructure for remote work, and reliable healthcare as the deciding factors. Within the 103 cities we track in Europe, the regional average sits at 6.9/10, which puts Cambridge's 6.6/10 a little behind the regional norm. On CityMatch, Cambridge scores 6.6/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #162 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is internet & connectivity at 9/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 3/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Among the pricier cities we track.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Air quality is acceptable most of the year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
Expect a proper seasonal swing.
Reliable access to quality care.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Cambridge right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
Internet and connectivity score 9/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
A 8/10 safety score puts Cambridge among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is the toughest line item, at 3/10 — budget accordingly, especially on rent.
Climate is the hardest trade-off here at 5/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Is Cambridge safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Cambridge, at 8/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Cambridge looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Transport is reasonably safe day-to-day; late-night service quality and crowd levels are worth checking if you'll rely on it after dark.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Cambridge?
Cambridge scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing — expect at least one stretch of weather most people wouldn't pick as their favorite.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Cambridge
Put together, quality of life in Cambridge is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, cambridge has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, Cambridge has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (7/10) and climate (5/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (6/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Cambridge is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, Cambridge tends to suit people who prioritize internet & connectivity and safety over cost of living — see "Who Cambridge suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Cambridge?
Cambridge scores 7/10 on environment — decent air quality most of the year, without being a specific standout.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Cambridge suits
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.4/10 here).
Student
Students — students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (fit score 6.2/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.1/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 7.1/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Budget matters a lot in Cambridge: it scores just 3/10 on affordability, among the pricier cities in our database, and rent in particular tends to dominate a monthly budget.
Safety
Safety is one of Cambridge's clearest strengths, scoring 8/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
Climate is a middling factor in Cambridge, scoring 5/10 — expect a proper seasonal swing, including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Quality of life
Cambridge scores 6.6/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: internet & connectivity (9/10) is genuinely strong, while cost of living (3/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 6.6/10.
Transport
Transport in Cambridge scores 6/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Cambridge scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Cambridge?
The short version: choose Cambridge for its internet & connectivity, and go in with clear eyes about cost of living. Its 6.6/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Cambridge safe?
Yes — Cambridge scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Cambridge?
Cambridge is expensive by our data, scoring just 3/10 on cost of living — among the priciest cities we track. This isn't the city to pick primarily to save money.
Is Cambridge good for families?
Cambridge works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Cambridge a good city for students?
Yes, Cambridge is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (3/10) and transport (6/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is Cambridge suitable for digital nomads?
Remote work is possible in Cambridge, but it's not an obvious pick — internet (9/10) and cost of living (3/10) are less favorable than our dedicated digital-nomad cities.
What's the climate like in Cambridge?
Cambridge scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is Cambridge pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Cambridge scores 5/10 on climate and 7/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Cambridge a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.3/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Cambridge?
Yes — Cambridge scores 9/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Cambridge a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Cambridge?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Oxford and Dublin are the closest matches to Cambridge in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Cambridge worth living in?
Reasonably — Cambridge scores 6.6/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Cambridge?
Based on its score profile, Cambridge suits people who value internet & connectivity and safety more than the average mover — see the "Who Cambridge suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Cambridge walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Cambridge scores 6/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Cambridge?
Internet & connectivity is Cambridge's standout strength, scoring 9/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Cambridge?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 3/10 — the lowest of Cambridge's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.