City Comparison · 2026

Bradford vs Southampton 2026

West Yorkshire

Bradford

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 60/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £650/mo

Real Take-Home £22,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.8%

South East England

Southampton

Median Salary £33,500

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £24,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4%

Unemployment 4.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Southampton

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

Best for Affordability

Bradford

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

Highest Headline Salary

Southampton

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

Lowest Rent

Bradford

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

Best for Career Growth

Southampton

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

Best Overall Value

Southampton

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

Top Salaries: Bradford vs Southampton

Bradford

Bradford has the youngest average population of any UK city with a growing creative and digital sector alongside traditional manufacturing.

Full Bradford Guide →

Southampton

Southampton is the UK's busiest cruise port with a strong maritime economy and two major universities driving the knowledge economy.

Full Southampton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Bradford

Browse live Bradford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Bradford Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Bradford

£52,800 vs £28,500

Compare →

London vs Southampton

£52,800 vs £33,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Bradford

£36,500 vs £28,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Southampton

£36,500 vs £33,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Bradford

£33,200 vs £28,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Southampton

£33,200 vs £33,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →