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City Comparison · 2026

Middlesbrough vs Preston 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
Lancashire
Preston
Median Salary £29,500
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £680/mo
Real Take-Home £23,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.5%
Unemployment 5.2%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Middlesbrough vs Preston

Middlesbrough

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

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

Preston

Preston is a major Lancashire city with significant aerospace and manufacturing employment driven by BAE Systems.

Full Preston Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Preston

Browse live Preston vacancies on Reed right now.

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