City Comparison · 2026

Sheffield vs Stoke-on-Trent 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%

Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent

Median Salary £27,500

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £600/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3%

Unemployment 6.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Sheffield

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

Best for Affordability

Stoke-on-Trent

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

Stoke-on-Trent

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 Stoke-on-Trent

Sheffield

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

Full Sheffield Guide →

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is undergoing regeneration with bet365 as a major employer and growing logistics and manufacturing sectors.

Full Stoke-on-Trent Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Sheffield

Browse live Sheffield vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Stoke-on-Trent

Browse live Stoke-on-Trent vacancies on Reed right now.

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More Comparisons

London vs Sheffield

£52,800 vs £30,800

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London vs Stoke-on-Trent

£52,800 vs £27,500

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Manchester vs Sheffield

£36,500 vs £30,800

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Manchester vs Stoke-on-Trent

£36,500 vs £27,500

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Birmingham vs Sheffield

£33,200 vs £30,800

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Birmingham vs Stoke-on-Trent

£33,200 vs £27,500

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