If you work in tech, there are several factors that will probably weigh in when you decide where to settle to live and work. The overall elements that make a city a good place to live include the quality of accommodation, how good the public transport system is, and are there enough cultural opportunities to keep you entertained in your free time. But if you work in tech, the quality of the startup environment is equally important, as well as the number of industry-specific companies and the availability of positions.
Read on to find out which are the best UK cities to work and live in if you have a tech job.
Cambridge
Cambridge is one of the best places to live if you search for an active and thriving startup and tech environment. The number of IT companies moving to the area is on the rise recently and there’s no indication that the trend is going away anytime soon.
A lot of these companies are founded by ex-students that want to stay close to their base, but there are also a lot more coming from all over the world because of the availability of angel investors. There are not only startups in Cambridge but established companies as well – such as Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. Most dynamic sub-sectors include AI, deep learning, gaming, and life science.
The average salary for a tech worker in Cambridge is £46 730.
Reading and The Thames Valley
Reading is another university town in which the tech scene is very dense. With easy access to London and the abundance of students looking for a graduate job, it’s no wonder why there are plenty of high profile tech companies with offices there.
The scene is not that much startup focused, but more established companies are present. Look into Reading especially if you’re into research and development, and software.
The average salary in tech is £53 255.
London
London is one of the most popular cities for tech workers not only in the UK but in the whole of Europe. There are so many tech companies and software developers in London, and it offers great support for all types of startups and tech entrepreneurs.
Some of the companies that have their offices in London include Google, Amazon, Shazam, and Transferwise, and if you’re into fintech or e-commerce, you should definitely put London on top of your list.
An average salary for a tech worker in London is £61 800.
Manchester
One of the top technology hubs in the UK, Manchester boasts a serious number of accelerators, especially in the e-commerce, health tech, and biotech sectors.
The cost of living is also great – at about 40% less than London, it’s no wonder that the northern city attracts more and more tech workers.
An average salary in Manchester for the tech industry is £47 349.
Edinburgh
The tech community in the capital of Scotland is going through a big expansion in the past years, especially being popular among engineers and developers which are about 7% of the total workforce in Edinburgh. The biggest UK tech incubator Codebase is positioned here, and the most developed subsectors include fintech and gaming.
An average salary for the tech industry in Edinburgh is £53 000.
Bristol and Bath
You’ll find the offices of Just Eat and Sony here, as well as the Bristol Robotics Lab – the biggest one in Europe. So if you’re into robotics, there’s no better place to make your base than Bristol.
The average salary in Bristol for tech workers is about £47 063.
Birmingham
Leave Peaky Blinders aside, Birmingham is also becoming famous as a well-developing tech community, especially in the fintech sector.
There are more than 6000 companies based in Birmingham and plenty of events and industry opportunities to allow you to thrive as a tech worker.
The average salary for a tech job in Birmingham is £43 718.
Brighton
Being at the seaside and having a long history in art, Brighton is becoming more and more popular as a tech hub, and it’s easy to see why. Home to many creative digital marketing agencies, it’s a great place to settle in, especially if you’re working in media and gaming.
The average salary in the digital industry in Brighton is £44 608.
