City Comparison · 2026

Leicester vs Cheltenham 2026

East Midlands

Leicester

Median Salary £30,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £730/mo

Real Take-Home £23,900/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.6%

Unemployment 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

Cheltenham

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

Best for Affordability

Leicester

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

Highest Headline Salary

Cheltenham

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

Lowest Rent

Leicester

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

Cheltenham

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

Top Salaries: Leicester vs Cheltenham

Leicester

Leicester is one of the UK's most diverse cities with a strong manufacturing base and growing retail and education sectors.

Full Leicester 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 Leicester

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Jobs in Cheltenham

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