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City Comparison · 2026

Guildford vs Chester 2026

South East England
Guildford
Median Salary £42,000
Cost of Living 88/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,400/mo
Real Take-Home £25,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 2.5%
VS
Cheshire
Chester
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Guildford
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Chester
Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.
Highest Headline Salary
Guildford
Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.
Lowest Rent
Chester
More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.
Best for Career Growth
Guildford
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Guildford
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Guildford vs Chester

Guildford

Guildford is one of the UK's most prosperous towns with a strong technology and gaming sector near London.

Full Guildford Guide →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Guildford

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

Browse live Chester vacancies on Reed right now.

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