Home / Compare / Derby vs Exeter
City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Exeter 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%
VS
South West England
Exeter
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 72/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £950/mo
Real Take-Home £23,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Derby
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
Exeter
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
Exeter
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Derby
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Derby vs Exeter

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 →

Exeter

Exeter is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with a strong professional services and knowledge economy.

Full Exeter Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

Browse live Derby vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Derby Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Exeter

Browse live Exeter vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Exeter Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Derby
£52,800 vs £31,500
Compare →
London vs Exeter
£52,800 vs £32,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Derby
£36,500 vs £31,500
Compare →
Manchester vs Exeter
£36,500 vs £32,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Derby
£33,200 vs £31,500
Compare →
Birmingham vs Exeter
£33,200 vs £32,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top