City Comparison · 2026

Edinburgh vs Oxford 2026

Scotland

Edinburgh

Median Salary £38,900

Cost of Living 79/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,050/mo

Real Take-Home £27,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.5%

Unemployment 3.2%

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

Edinburgh

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

Best for Affordability

Edinburgh

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

Edinburgh

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

Best for Career Growth

Edinburgh

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Edinburgh

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Edinburgh vs Oxford

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is Scotland's capital and financial centre with above-average UK salaries and a thriving technology and fintech scene.

Full Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh

Browse live Edinburgh vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Edinburgh Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

Browse live Oxford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Oxford Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Edinburgh

£52,800 vs £38,900

Compare →

London vs Oxford

£52,800 vs £40,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Edinburgh

£36,500 vs £38,900

Compare →

Manchester vs Oxford

£36,500 vs £40,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Edinburgh

£33,200 vs £38,900

Compare →

Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →