Home / Compare / Middlesbrough vs Bolton
City Comparison · 2026

Middlesbrough vs Bolton 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
Greater Manchester
Bolton
Median Salary £29,500
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £680/mo
Real Take-Home £23,100/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Bolton
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
Bolton
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
Middlesbrough
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Bolton
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Middlesbrough vs Bolton

Middlesbrough

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

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

Bolton

Bolton is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing roots and growing digital and professional services sectors.

Full Bolton Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Middlesbrough Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Bolton

Browse live Bolton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Bolton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Middlesbrough
£52,800 vs £28,000
Compare →
London vs Bolton
£52,800 vs £29,500
Compare →
Manchester vs Middlesbrough
£36,500 vs £28,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Bolton
£36,500 vs £29,500
Compare →
Birmingham vs Middlesbrough
£33,200 vs £28,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Bolton
£33,200 vs £29,500
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top