City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Middlesbrough 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%

Tees Valley

Middlesbrough

Median Salary £28,000

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo

Real Take-Home £22,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 6.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Derby

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

Best for Affordability

Middlesbrough

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

Highest Headline Salary

Derby

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

Lowest Rent

Middlesbrough

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

Best for Career Growth

Derby

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 Middlesbrough

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 →

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is the heart of the Tees Valley with a major chemical and manufacturing cluster and significant investment in digital.

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

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More Comparisons

London vs Derby

£52,800 vs £31,500

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London vs Middlesbrough

£52,800 vs £28,000

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Manchester vs Derby

£36,500 vs £31,500

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Manchester vs Middlesbrough

£36,500 vs £28,000

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Birmingham vs Derby

£33,200 vs £31,500

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Birmingham vs Middlesbrough

£33,200 vs £28,000

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