City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Belfast 2026

South East England

Oxford

Median Salary £40,000

Cost of Living 90/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,400/mo

Real Take-Home £25,000/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.5%

Unemployment 2.8%

Northern Ireland

Belfast

Median Salary £31,000

Cost of Living 65/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £750/mo

Real Take-Home £24,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.8%

Unemployment 3.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Oxford

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

Best for Affordability

Belfast

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

Highest Headline Salary

Oxford

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

Lowest Rent

Belfast

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

Best for Career Growth

Belfast

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

Best Overall Value

Oxford

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

Top Salaries: Oxford vs Belfast

Oxford

Oxford combines world-class academia with a growing biomedical and technology cluster. Very high cost of living relative to salary.

Full Oxford Guide →

Belfast

Belfast has emerged as a major technology hub with significant investment from US tech companies attracted by competitive costs.

Full Belfast Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Belfast

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£36,500 vs £40,000

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£36,500 vs £31,000

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Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

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Birmingham vs Belfast

£33,200 vs £31,000

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