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City Comparison · 2026

Bristol vs Sunderland 2026

South West England
Bristol
Median Salary £38,200
Cost of Living 78/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo
Real Take-Home £26,500/yr
Job Growth ↑ 5.1%
Unemployment 3.5%
VS
North East England
Sunderland
Median Salary £27,800
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo
Real Take-Home £22,600/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3%
Unemployment 6.2%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Bristol
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Sunderland
Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.
Highest Headline Salary
Bristol
Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.
Lowest Rent
Sunderland
More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.
Best for Career Growth
Bristol
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Bristol
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Bristol vs Sunderland

Bristol

Bristol consistently ranks as one of the UK's best cities for quality of life with above-average salaries and a booming tech sector.

Full Bristol Guide →

Sunderland

Sunderland is home to Nissan's largest European plant and has a growing digital and technology sector driven by major investment.

Full Sunderland Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Bristol

Browse live Bristol vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Sunderland

Browse live Sunderland vacancies on Reed right now.

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