City Comparison · 2026

Birmingham vs Wigan 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%

Greater Manchester

Wigan

Median Salary £28,000

Cost of Living 61/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £620/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Birmingham

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

Best for Affordability

Wigan

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

Highest Headline Salary

Birmingham

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

Lowest Rent

Wigan

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

Birmingham

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

Top Salaries: Birmingham vs Wigan

Birmingham

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

Full Birmingham Guide →

Wigan

Wigan is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing and logistics sectors and very affordable living costs.

Full Wigan Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Birmingham

Browse live Birmingham vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Birmingham Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Wigan

Browse live Wigan vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Wigan Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Birmingham

£52,800 vs £33,200

Compare →

London vs Wigan

£52,800 vs £28,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Birmingham

£36,500 vs £33,200

Compare →

Manchester vs Wigan

£36,500 vs £28,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Edinburgh

£33,200 vs £38,900

Compare →

Birmingham vs Bristol

£33,200 vs £38,200

Compare →

All City Comparisons →