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City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Chester 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%
VS
Cheshire
Chester
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
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
Chester
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
Chester
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 Chester

Oxford

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

Full Oxford Guide →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

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