City Comparison · 2026

Cambridge vs Chester 2026

East of England

Cambridge

Median Salary £42,000

Cost of Living 92/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,450/mo

Real Take-Home £25,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.2%

Unemployment 2.5%

Cheshire

Chester

Median Salary £32,000

Cost of Living 70/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 3.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cambridge

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

Best for Affordability

Chester

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

Highest Headline Salary

Cambridge

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

Lowest Rent

Chester

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

Best for Career Growth

Cambridge

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

Best Overall Value

Cambridge

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

Top Salaries: Cambridge vs Chester

Cambridge

Cambridge is home to the UK's most prestigious tech cluster — Silicon Fen — with world-leading biotechnology and AI companies.

Full Cambridge Guide →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cambridge

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

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