City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Bolton 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%

Greater Manchester

Bolton

Median Salary £29,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £680/mo

Real Take-Home £23,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 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

Bolton

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

Bolton

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

Best for Career Growth

Oxford

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 Bolton

Oxford

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

Full Oxford Guide →

Bolton

Bolton is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing roots and growing digital and professional services sectors.

Full Bolton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

Browse live Oxford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Oxford Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Bolton

Browse live Bolton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Bolton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Oxford

£52,800 vs £40,000

Compare →

London vs Bolton

£52,800 vs £29,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Oxford

£36,500 vs £40,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Bolton

£36,500 vs £29,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Bolton

£33,200 vs £29,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →