City Comparison · 2026

Gloucester vs Belfast 2026

South West England

Gloucester

Median Salary £30,500

Cost of Living 68/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.5%

Northern Ireland

Belfast

Median Salary £31,000

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £750/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.8%

Unemployment 3.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Belfast

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

Best for Affordability

Belfast

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

Highest Headline Salary

Belfast

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

Lowest Rent

Belfast

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

Best for Career Growth

Belfast

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

Best Overall Value

Belfast

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

Top Salaries: Gloucester vs Belfast

Gloucester

Gloucester is home to GCHQ and has a strong aerospace and defence cluster alongside growing financial services.

Full Gloucester Guide →

Belfast

Belfast has emerged as a major technology hub with significant investment from US tech companies attracted by competitive costs.

Full Belfast Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Gloucester

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Belfast

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£52,800 vs £30,500

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£36,500 vs £30,500

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Manchester vs Belfast

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Birmingham vs Gloucester

£33,200 vs £30,500

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Birmingham vs Belfast

£33,200 vs £31,000

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