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City Comparison · 2026

Leicester vs Oxford 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%
VS
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
Oxford
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
Oxford
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
Oxford
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Oxford
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Leicester vs Oxford

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 →

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 Leicester

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Jobs in Oxford

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