City Comparison · 2026

Peterborough vs Lancaster 2026

East of England

Peterborough

Median Salary £30,500

Cost of Living 67/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.8%

Lancashire

Lancaster

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo

Real Take-Home £22,600/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 4.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Peterborough

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

Best for Affordability

Lancaster

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Peterborough

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Lancaster

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

Best for Career Growth

Peterborough

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Peterborough

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Peterborough vs Lancaster

Peterborough

Peterborough is a major logistics and distribution hub with excellent road and rail connections to London.

Full Peterborough Guide →

Lancaster

Lancaster is a historic city with Lancaster University driving the knowledge economy and growing digital and healthcare sectors.

Full Lancaster Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Peterborough

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Lancaster

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Birmingham vs Peterborough

£33,200 vs £30,500

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