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City Comparison · 2026

Bristol vs Swindon 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
South West England
Swindon
Median Salary £33,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £25,000/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.8%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Bristol
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Swindon
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
Swindon
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 Swindon

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 →

Swindon

Swindon is home to Nationwide Building Society headquarters and has a strong manufacturing base including Honda's UK plant.

Full Swindon Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Bristol

Browse live Bristol vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Swindon

Browse live Swindon vacancies on Reed right now.

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£52,800 vs £38,200
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London vs Swindon
£52,800 vs £33,000
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Manchester vs Bristol
£36,500 vs £38,200
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Manchester vs Swindon
£36,500 vs £33,000
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Birmingham vs Bristol
£33,200 vs £38,200
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Edinburgh vs Swindon
£38,900 vs £33,000
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