City Comparison · 2026

Cheltenham vs Derry 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%

Northern Ireland

Derry

Median Salary £27,500

Cost of Living 60/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £600/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cheltenham

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

Best for Affordability

Derry

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

Derry

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 Derry

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 →

Derry

Derry is Northern Ireland's second city with growing technology and education sectors.

Full Derry Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Derry

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