City Comparison · 2026

Oxford vs Worcester 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%

West Midlands

Worcester

Median Salary £30,000

Cost of Living 67/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £780/mo

Real Take-Home £23,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.5%

Unemployment 4.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Oxford

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

Best for Affordability

Worcester

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

Worcester

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 Worcester

Oxford

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

Full Oxford Guide →

Worcester

Worcester is a historic cathedral city with a strong manufacturing base and growing professional services sector.

Full Worcester Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

Browse live Oxford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Oxford Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Worcester

Browse live Worcester vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Worcester Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Oxford

£52,800 vs £40,000

Compare →

London vs Worcester

£52,800 vs £30,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Oxford

£36,500 vs £40,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Worcester

£36,500 vs £30,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Worcester

£33,200 vs £30,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →