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City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs Oxford 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 East England
Oxford
Median Salary £40,000
Cost of Living 90/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,400/mo
Real Take-Home £25,000/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.5%
Unemployment 2.8%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Derby vs Oxford

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 →

Oxford

Oxford combines world-class academia with a growing biomedical and technology cluster. Very high cost of living relative to salary.

Full Oxford Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

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Jobs in Oxford

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