City Comparison · 2026

Glasgow vs Cheltenham 2026

Scotland

Glasgow

Median Salary £35,200

Cost of Living 69/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo

Real Take-Home £25,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.1%

Unemployment 4.5%

South West England

Cheltenham

Median Salary £34,000

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £25,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.2%

Unemployment 3.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Glasgow

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

Best for Affordability

Glasgow

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

Highest Headline Salary

Glasgow

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

Lowest Rent

Glasgow

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

Best for Career Growth

Cheltenham

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

Best Overall Value

Glasgow

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

Top Salaries: Glasgow vs Cheltenham

Glasgow

Glasgow is Scotland's largest city and commercial centre with a diverse economy spanning finance, manufacturing and a growing technology sector.

Full Glasgow Guide →

Cheltenham

Cheltenham is home to GCHQ and has a strong cybersecurity and technology cluster making it one of the South West's highest earning cities.

Full Cheltenham Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Glasgow

Browse live Glasgow vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Glasgow Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

Browse live Cheltenham vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Cheltenham Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Glasgow

£52,800 vs £35,200

Compare →

London vs Cheltenham

£52,800 vs £34,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Glasgow

£36,500 vs £35,200

Compare →

Manchester vs Cheltenham

£36,500 vs £34,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Glasgow

£33,200 vs £35,200

Compare →

Birmingham vs Cheltenham

£33,200 vs £34,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →