City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Cheltenham 2026

East Midlands

Derby

Median Salary £31,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £730/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

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%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cheltenham

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

Best for Affordability

Derby

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

Derby

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: Derby vs Cheltenham

Derby

Derby is a major aerospace and manufacturing hub. Rolls-Royce headquarters here makes it one of the UK's leading engineering cities.

Full Derby Guide →

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 →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

Browse live Cheltenham vacancies on Reed right now.

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Birmingham vs Derby

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Birmingham vs Cheltenham

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