City Comparison · 2026

Sheffield vs Gloucester 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%

South West England

Gloucester

Median Salary £30,500

Cost of Living 68/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo

Real Take-Home £23,500/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.8%

Unemployment 4.5%

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

Gloucester

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 Gloucester

Sheffield

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

Full Sheffield Guide →

Gloucester

Gloucester is home to GCHQ and has a strong aerospace and defence cluster alongside growing financial services.

Full Gloucester Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Sheffield

Browse live Sheffield vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Sheffield Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Gloucester

Browse live Gloucester vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Gloucester Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Sheffield

£52,800 vs £30,800

Compare →

London vs Gloucester

£52,800 vs £30,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Sheffield

£36,500 vs £30,800

Compare →

Manchester vs Gloucester

£36,500 vs £30,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Sheffield

£33,200 vs £30,800

Compare →

Birmingham vs Gloucester

£33,200 vs £30,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →