City Comparison · 2026

Nottingham vs York 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%

North Yorkshire

York

Median Salary £31,000

Cost of Living 70/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £23,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 3.5%

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

York

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

York

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 York

Nottingham

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

Full Nottingham Guide →

York

York is a historic city with a strong professional services and financial sector alongside significant tourism and chocolate manufacturing heritage.

Full York Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Nottingham

Browse live Nottingham vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Nottingham Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in York

Browse live York vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse York Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Nottingham

£52,800 vs £30,200

Compare →

London vs York

£52,800 vs £31,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Nottingham

£36,500 vs £30,200

Compare →

Manchester vs York

£36,500 vs £31,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Nottingham

£33,200 vs £30,200

Compare →

Birmingham vs York

£33,200 vs £31,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →