City Comparison · 2026

Leicester vs Stoke-on-Trent 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%

Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent

Median Salary £27,500

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £600/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3%

Unemployment 6.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Leicester

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

Best for Affordability

Stoke-on-Trent

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

Highest Headline Salary

Leicester

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

Lowest Rent

Stoke-on-Trent

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

Best for Career Growth

Leicester

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

Best Overall Value

Leicester

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

Top Salaries: Leicester vs Stoke-on-Trent

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 →

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is undergoing regeneration with bet365 as a major employer and growing logistics and manufacturing sectors.

Full Stoke-on-Trent Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Leicester

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Stoke-on-Trent

Browse live Stoke-on-Trent vacancies on Reed right now.

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More Comparisons

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£52,800 vs £30,500

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London vs Stoke-on-Trent

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Manchester vs Leicester

£36,500 vs £30,500

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Manchester vs Stoke-on-Trent

£36,500 vs £27,500

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Birmingham vs Leicester

£33,200 vs £30,500

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Birmingham vs Stoke-on-Trent

£33,200 vs £27,500

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