City Comparison · 2026

Middlesbrough vs Shrewsbury 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%

West Midlands

Shrewsbury

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3%

Unemployment 3.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Middlesbrough

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

Shrewsbury

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

Middlesbrough

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

Top Salaries: Middlesbrough vs Shrewsbury

Middlesbrough

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

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire with a strong public sector and growing tourism economy.

Full Shrewsbury Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Middlesbrough Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Shrewsbury

Browse live Shrewsbury vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Shrewsbury Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Middlesbrough

£52,800 vs £28,000

Compare →

London vs Shrewsbury

£52,800 vs £28,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Middlesbrough

£36,500 vs £28,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Shrewsbury

£36,500 vs £28,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Middlesbrough

£33,200 vs £28,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Shrewsbury

£33,200 vs £28,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →