City Comparison · 2026

Nottingham vs Luton 2026

East Midlands

Nottingham

Median Salary £30,200

Cost of Living 64/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo

Real Take-Home £23,700/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.4%

Unemployment 5.2%

East of England

Luton

Median Salary £31,500

Cost of Living 75/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,000/mo

Real Take-Home £22,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 5.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Nottingham

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

Best for Affordability

Nottingham

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

Highest Headline Salary

Luton

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

Lowest Rent

Nottingham

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

Best for Career Growth

Luton

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

Best Overall Value

Nottingham

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

Top Salaries: Nottingham vs Luton

Nottingham

Nottingham is a major retail and education centre in the East Midlands with growing bioscience and digital sectors.

Full Nottingham Guide →

Luton

Luton is a major aviation hub with London Luton Airport driving significant logistics and hospitality employment.

Full Luton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Nottingham

Browse live Nottingham vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Nottingham Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Luton

Browse live Luton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Luton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Nottingham

£52,800 vs £30,200

Compare →

London vs Luton

£52,800 vs £31,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Nottingham

£36,500 vs £30,200

Compare →

Manchester vs Luton

£36,500 vs £31,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Nottingham

£33,200 vs £30,200

Compare →

Birmingham vs Luton

£33,200 vs £31,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →