City Comparison · 2026

Coventry vs Southampton 2026

West Midlands

Coventry

Median Salary £30,200

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo

Real Take-Home £23,600/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 5.1%

South East England

Southampton

Median Salary £33,500

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £24,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4%

Unemployment 4.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Southampton

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

Best for Affordability

Coventry

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

Highest Headline Salary

Southampton

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

Lowest Rent

Coventry

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

Best for Career Growth

Southampton

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

Best Overall Value

Southampton

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

Top Salaries: Coventry vs Southampton

Coventry

Coventry is the UK City of Culture 2021 with a strong automotive and manufacturing heritage and two major universities.

Full Coventry Guide →

Southampton

Southampton is the UK's busiest cruise port with a strong maritime economy and two major universities driving the knowledge economy.

Full Southampton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Coventry

Browse live Coventry vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Coventry Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Coventry

£52,800 vs £30,200

Compare →

London vs Southampton

£52,800 vs £33,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Coventry

£36,500 vs £30,200

Compare →

Manchester vs Southampton

£36,500 vs £33,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Coventry

£33,200 vs £30,200

Compare →

Birmingham vs Southampton

£33,200 vs £33,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →