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City Comparison · 2026

Middlesbrough vs York 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
North Yorkshire
York
Median Salary £31,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo
Real Take-Home £23,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Middlesbrough vs York

Middlesbrough

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

Full Middlesbrough Guide →

York

York is a historic city with a strong professional services and financial sector alongside significant tourism and chocolate manufacturing heritage.

Full York Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in York

Browse live York vacancies on Reed right now.

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