Leeds named among UK’s best cities for tech careers, according to new study

To uncover the most tech-friendly cities in the UK, Ink Digital analysed data from 61 major locations, scoring each against seven key indicators of tech career success. These include: tech job demand, average salary, cost of living, the salary-to-cost-of-living ratio, number of tech jobs per 10,000 residents, tech events per 10,000 people, and the share of the population recently working from home – which points to remote working culture.

Each factor was weighted based on its influence, with tech job demand carrying the most weight (30%), followed by the salary-to-cost ratio (25%), tech job listings (20%), remote work prevalence (15%), and tech event frequency (10%). The data was sourced from trusted outlets including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), LinkedIn, Numbeo, and Eventbrite.

Leeds lands in 16th place with an overall score of 41.16, and while it doesn't crack the top 10, it quietly performs well in several key areas. The city ranks 14th for tech job demand at 2.30% and offers a strong average salary of £2,484, placing it within the top 20 for earnings. Even better, its relatively modest cost of living (£1,102) gives Leeds a solid salary-to-cost-of-living ratio of 2.25 – a real plus for professionals looking to stretch their wages without compromising on city life.

However, Leeds does fall short when it comes to community engagement and job visibility. It ranks near the bottom for both tech job density (just 68 per 10,000 people) and event activity (only 12 tech events per 10,000). But it does lead the way on flexibility – a whopping 38% of workers recently worked from home, the second highest in the country.

Cambridge takes the top spot as the best UK city for tech careers, thanks to its unmatched job demand (5.10%), strong salaries (£3,139), and a thriving local tech scene. Oxford follows in second, offering a great balance of pay, cost of living, and one of the highest remote work rates at 34%. Westminster ranks third, driven by its huge number of job listings – over 1,100 per 10,000 people – although high living costs hold it back from claiming the top spot. St Albans, in fourth place, boasts the highest job density of all cities (1,550 per 10K), proving that smaller cities can offer big opportunities.

Chester comes in fifth with strong value-for-money – salaries are decent, living costs are low, and it has one of the most active tech event scenes. Winchester ranks sixth and stands out for its well-balanced offering of jobs, affordability, and event engagement. Manchester, in seventh, brings strong job demand (3.20%) and solid remote work figures to the table. Portsmouth, Gloucester, and Nottingham round out the top 10 – all offering affordable living and decent tech job availability, with Nottingham standing out in particular for having the best salary-to-cost-of-living ratio (2.48) in the entire ranking.

Meanwhile, London came in at 17th overall. Edinburgh ranked 12th, Bristol 15th, Birmingham 34th, Glasgow 39th and Liverpool 51st. The bottom five were Bradford, Aberdeen, Hereford, Stirling, and Kingston.

Top 18 list of best UK cities for tech careers according to the study: