Home / Compare / Sheffield vs Colchester
City Comparison · 2026

Sheffield vs Colchester 2026

South Yorkshire
Sheffield
Median Salary £30,800
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.5%
Unemployment 4.9%
VS
East of England
Colchester
Median Salary £30,000
Cost of Living 68/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £23,000/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.5%
Unemployment 4.2%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Sheffield
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Sheffield
Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.
Highest Headline Salary
Sheffield
Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.
Lowest Rent
Sheffield
More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.
Best for Career Growth
Sheffield
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Sheffield
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Sheffield vs Colchester

Sheffield

Sheffield has transformed from a steel city into a centre for advanced manufacturing and digital with very affordable living costs.

Full Sheffield Guide →

Colchester

Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town with a major Army garrison and growing university driving knowledge economy growth.

Full Colchester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Sheffield

Browse live Sheffield vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Sheffield Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Colchester

Browse live Colchester vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Colchester Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Sheffield
£52,800 vs £30,800
Compare →
London vs Colchester
£52,800 vs £30,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Sheffield
£36,500 vs £30,800
Compare →
Manchester vs Colchester
£36,500 vs £30,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Sheffield
£33,200 vs £30,800
Compare →
Birmingham vs Colchester
£33,200 vs £30,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top