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City Comparison · 2026

Middlesbrough vs Belfast 2026

Tees Valley
Middlesbrough
Median Salary £28,000
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo
Real Take-Home £22,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 6.5%
VS
Northern Ireland
Belfast
Median Salary £31,000
Cost of Living 65/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £750/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Middlesbrough vs Belfast

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is the heart of the Tees Valley with a major chemical and manufacturing cluster and significant investment in digital.

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

Belfast

Belfast has emerged as a major technology hub with significant investment from US tech companies attracted by competitive costs.

Full Belfast Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Belfast

Browse live Belfast vacancies on Reed right now.

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