City Comparison · 2026

Milton Keynes vs Cheltenham 2026

South East England

Milton Keynes

Median Salary £38,500

Cost of Living 78/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,100/mo

Real Take-Home £26,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 5.5%

Unemployment 3.2%

South West England

Cheltenham

Median Salary £34,000

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £25,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.2%

Unemployment 3.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Milton Keynes

Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.

Best for Affordability

Cheltenham

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Milton Keynes

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Cheltenham

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Milton Keynes

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Milton Keynes

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

Top Salaries: Milton Keynes vs Cheltenham

Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes is one of the UK's fastest growing cities with a strong business services and technology sector.

Full Milton Keynes Guide →

Cheltenham

Cheltenham is home to GCHQ and has a strong cybersecurity and technology cluster making it one of the South West's highest earning cities.

Full Cheltenham Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Milton Keynes

Browse live Milton Keynes vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

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More Comparisons

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London vs Milton Keynes

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London vs Cheltenham

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Manchester vs Milton Keynes

£36,500 vs £38,500

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Manchester vs Milton Keynes

£36,500 vs £38,500

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Manchester vs Cheltenham

£36,500 vs £34,000

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