City Comparison · 2026

Newcastle vs Stoke-on-Trent 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%

Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent

Median Salary £27,500

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £600/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3%

Unemployment 6.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Newcastle

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

Best for Affordability

Stoke-on-Trent

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

Highest Headline Salary

Newcastle

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

Lowest Rent

Stoke-on-Trent

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

Best for Career Growth

Newcastle

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

Best Overall Value

Newcastle

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

Top Salaries: Newcastle vs Stoke-on-Trent

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 →

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is undergoing regeneration with bet365 as a major employer and growing logistics and manufacturing sectors.

Full Stoke-on-Trent Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Newcastle

Browse live Newcastle vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Stoke-on-Trent

Browse live Stoke-on-Trent vacancies on Reed right now.

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Birmingham vs Newcastle

£33,200 vs £29,800

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Birmingham vs Stoke-on-Trent

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