City Comparison · 2026

Leicester vs St Albans 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 East England

St Albans

Median Salary £45,000

Cost of Living 90/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,500/mo

Real Take-Home £26,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.5%

Unemployment 2.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

St Albans

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

St Albans

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

St Albans

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

Best Overall Value

St Albans

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

Top Salaries: Leicester vs St Albans

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 →

St Albans

St Albans is one of the UK's most affluent towns with the highest average salaries outside London and very high living costs.

Full St Albans Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Leicester

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Live Jobs

Jobs in St Albans

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£36,500 vs £30,500

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Manchester vs St Albans

£36,500 vs £45,000

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Birmingham vs Leicester

£33,200 vs £30,500

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Birmingham vs St Albans

£33,200 vs £45,000

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