Living in Cambridge
If you choose to live and work here, you are sure to enjoy an enhanced quality of life, with the
opportunity to participate in a wide range of social, cultural and leisure activities. Move here and you
will soon find yourself part of a vibrant community with excellent schools and amenities. A distinct
advantage is a proximity to London: Cambridge is well served by road and rail links and is within easy
distance of the major London airports.
The best city
to work in
Cambridge is famous for its university, currently one of the best in the world, and its scientists. It is the town where: the atom was first split, where the structure of DNA was discovered, where Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution, where Newton developed his theory of gravity, where the order of human DNA was first discovered, where the electron and neutron were discovered, where Stephen Hawking of black-hole fame used to live and work.
It has been home to some of the great thinkers of the last 500 years.
Getting a place
to stay
House prices in Cambridge as comparatively high. Not only is Cambridge only 50 miles from London, so easily commutable by train, it is a desirable city to live in.
Monthly rents on a 1 bedroom flat (apartment) in City Centre is around £800 per month. It will be cheaper to live outside the City Centre where 1 bedroom flat is around £535 per month. If you are looking for a 3 bedroom flat this will be around £1000 per month outside the City Center and £1300 per month in the City Center.
Another option is buying a house; the price per square meter in city center is around £1000 and outside City around £800.
Moving to Cambridge with family
Cambridge is a pleasant city to live in with a family. There are plenty of parks and open countryside for walks and cycle rides. The schools are excellent and there is always the hope that the academic atmosphere of the city will rub off on your child and he/she will be accepted into Cambridge.
Cost of Living
Cambridge is of one the top city in the UK, the city is also known for its culture, traditions and job opportunities that welcomes expat's students for jobs and education.
Cost of living in Cambridge greatly dependent on where you live, the average rent for a flat/house in a normal area £1000 per month.
Basic utility bills can be between £100 -£300 per month, depending of what tip of accommodation you will choose. Eating out to an inexpensive restaurant can cost between £12– £17 and a takeout coffee cost £2 – £3.
Cambridge has a mild climate with its hottest and wettest month being August with an average high of 18°C and average rainfall of 53mm. January is its coldest month, with an average temperature of 4°C.
Like most places in the UK, rain is always a possibility, so it’s wise to carry an umbrella or a fold up waterproof jacket. Here are some clothing prices: pair of jeans: £30 – £90, summer dress: £20 – £40, Business shoes: £45 – £100, Running Shoes (Trainers): £50 – £90.
Internet in the UK or unlimited downloads, based on a 12 month contract can be £18.99 a month, for standard subscription.
Family Life
Cambridge may be known mostly for its world-class colleges, but it has a lot to offer the younger set too.
With lots of outdoor spaces for walking, riding bikes, or having a picnic, you’ll never feel cooped up in the city. Plus there are great museums, kid-friendly restaurants and festivals galore.
Most come to Cambridge to visit the hallowed halls of its prestigious 800-year-old university or marvel at the antiquities housed in the Fitzwilliam Museum, but there's more to see than these grand old institutions of academia.
Culture vultures could catch one of the year-round theatre productions or admire one of the country's greatest collections of 20th-century art at Kettle's Yard.
With so much to do, it’s time to start exploring
.
Things to do
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Cambridge Bike Tours: Cambridge Bike Tours offers guided cycle tours around some of the city's main attractions, such as King's College Chapel.
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Scudamore's Punting Company: Poling a punt (flat-bottomed boat) along the River Cam or Granta is fun for teens. Families can also explore the river in 2-seater kayaks.
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Visit Cambridge Official Ghost Tour: The local tourist office's own ghostly guide leads families down haunted alleys and around college courtyards, telling spine-chilling tales along the way.
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Audley End Miniature Railway: There's barely space for adults to squeeze into the scaled-down carriages of this vintage mini-railroad.
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Shepreth Wildlife Park: Families can get up close and personal with tigers, lemurs, and marmosets at this small, educational wildlife park. It's located 7 miles south of Cambridge. There are plenty of kid-friendly meals in the café.
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Imperial War Museum Duxford: Children can pilot a plane using flight simulators at this large museum. Displays include legendary World War II and Cold War-era British and US aircraft, military vehicles, and a Concorde airliner.
5 FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT CAMBRIDGE
01
The University of Cambridge, founded in 1209 is now ranked one of the top five universities in
the world.
02
Cambridge was important long before the University existed, due to its perfect location of fording
the River Cam between dense forests and marshy fens.
03
Parker’s Piece hosted the first-ever game of association football.
04
Cambridge has provided a stunning backdrop to many films and TV series, most recently for the
film ‘The Theory of Everything’.
05
Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon
Valley and the fens surrounding the city.