City Comparison · 2026

Newcastle vs Derby 2026

North East England

Newcastle

Median Salary £29,800

Cost of Living 61/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £680/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.4%

East Midlands

Derby

Median Salary £31,500

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £730/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Derby

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

Best for Affordability

Newcastle

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

Highest Headline Salary

Derby

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

Lowest Rent

Newcastle

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

Best for Career Growth

Derby

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

Best Overall Value

Derby

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

Top Salaries: Newcastle vs Derby

Newcastle

Newcastle is the North East's economic hub with a thriving digital sector and the lowest cost of living of any major UK city.

Full Newcastle Guide →

Derby

Derby is a major aerospace and manufacturing hub. Rolls-Royce headquarters here makes it one of the UK's leading engineering cities.

Full Derby Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Newcastle

Browse live Newcastle vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Newcastle Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Derby

Browse live Derby vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Derby Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Newcastle

£52,800 vs £29,800

Compare →

London vs Derby

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Newcastle

£36,500 vs £29,800

Compare →

Manchester vs Derby

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Newcastle

£33,200 vs £29,800

Compare →

Birmingham vs Derby

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →