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City Comparison · 2026

Newcastle vs Sunderland 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%
VS
North East England
Sunderland
Median Salary £27,800
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo
Real Take-Home £22,600/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
Sunderland
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
Sunderland
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 Sunderland

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 →

Sunderland

Sunderland is home to Nissan's largest European plant and has a growing digital and technology sector driven by major investment.

Full Sunderland Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Newcastle

Browse live Newcastle vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Sunderland

Browse live Sunderland vacancies on Reed right now.

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