City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Wigan 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

Wigan

Median Salary £28,000

Cost of Living 61/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £620/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Oxford

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

Best for Affordability

Wigan

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

Wigan

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 Wigan

Oxford

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

Full Oxford Guide →

Wigan

Wigan is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing and logistics sectors and very affordable living costs.

Full Wigan Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

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Jobs in Wigan

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£52,800 vs £40,000

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£36,500 vs £40,000

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Manchester vs Wigan

£36,500 vs £28,000

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Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

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Birmingham vs Wigan

£33,200 vs £28,000

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