City Comparison · 2026

Birmingham vs Aberdeen 2026

West Midlands

Birmingham

Median Salary £33,200

Cost of Living 68/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo

Real Take-Home £25,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.9%

Unemployment 4.8%

Scotland

Aberdeen

Median Salary £40,000

Cost of Living 76/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £28,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 3.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Aberdeen

Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.

Best for Affordability

Birmingham

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Aberdeen

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Birmingham

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Birmingham

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Aberdeen

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Birmingham vs Aberdeen

Birmingham

Birmingham is the UK's second largest city undergoing significant regeneration with growing financial services and digital sectors.

Full Birmingham Guide →

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe with above-average salaries driven by the energy sector despite a challenging transition period.

Full Aberdeen Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Birmingham

Browse live Birmingham vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Birmingham Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Aberdeen

Browse live Aberdeen vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Aberdeen Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Birmingham

£52,800 vs £33,200

Compare →

London vs Aberdeen

£52,800 vs £40,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Birmingham

£36,500 vs £33,200

Compare →

Manchester vs Aberdeen

£36,500 vs £40,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Edinburgh

£33,200 vs £38,900

Compare →

Birmingham vs Bristol

£33,200 vs £38,200

Compare →

All City Comparisons →