City Comparison · 2026

Derby vs York 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%

North Yorkshire

York

Median Salary £31,000

Cost of Living 70/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £23,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

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

Derby

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

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 York

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 →

York

York is a historic city with a strong professional services and financial sector alongside significant tourism and chocolate manufacturing heritage.

Full York Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

Browse live Derby vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Derby Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in York

Browse live York vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse York Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Derby

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

London vs York

£52,800 vs £31,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Derby

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs York

£36,500 vs £31,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Derby

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs York

£33,200 vs £31,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →