City Comparison · 2026

Cheltenham vs Blackpool 2026

South West England

Cheltenham

Median Salary £34,000

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £25,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.2%

Unemployment 3.2%

Lancashire

Blackpool

Median Salary £25,500

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £550/mo

Real Take-Home £20,900/yr

Job Growth ↑ 2.5%

Unemployment 7.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cheltenham

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

Best for Affordability

Blackpool

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

Highest Headline Salary

Cheltenham

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

Lowest Rent

Blackpool

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

Best for Career Growth

Cheltenham

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

Best Overall Value

Cheltenham

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

Top Salaries: Cheltenham vs Blackpool

Cheltenham

Cheltenham is home to GCHQ and has a strong cybersecurity and technology cluster making it one of the South West's highest earning cities.

Full Cheltenham Guide →

Blackpool

Blackpool is a major seaside resort with the most affordable living costs of any UK city but faces significant economic challenges.

Full Blackpool Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

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Jobs in Blackpool

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£36,500 vs £34,000

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Manchester vs Blackpool

£36,500 vs £25,500

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Birmingham vs Cheltenham

£33,200 vs £34,000

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Birmingham vs Blackpool

£33,200 vs £25,500

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