City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Ipswich 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%

East of England

Ipswich

Median Salary £29,500

Cost of Living 66/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £770/mo

Real Take-Home £23,000/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 4.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Oxford

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

Best for Affordability

Ipswich

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

Ipswich

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 Ipswich

Oxford

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

Full Oxford Guide →

Ipswich

Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk with a strong financial services sector and major port driving logistics employment.

Full Ipswich Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Ipswich

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More Comparisons

London vs Oxford

£52,800 vs £40,000

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London vs Ipswich

£52,800 vs £29,500

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Manchester vs Oxford

£36,500 vs £40,000

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Manchester vs Ipswich

£36,500 vs £29,500

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Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

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Birmingham vs Ipswich

£33,200 vs £29,500

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