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City Comparison · 2026

Milton Keynes vs Chester 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%
VS
Cheshire
Chester
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
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
Chester
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
Chester
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 Chester

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 →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Milton Keynes

Browse live Milton Keynes vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

Browse live Chester vacancies on Reed right now.

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