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City Comparison · 2026

Shrewsbury vs Chester 2026

West Midlands
Shrewsbury
Median Salary £28,500
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo
Real Take-Home £22,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3%
Unemployment 3.8%
VS
Cheshire
Chester
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Shrewsbury vs Chester

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire with a strong public sector and growing tourism economy.

Full Shrewsbury Guide →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Shrewsbury

Browse live Shrewsbury vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

Browse live Chester vacancies on Reed right now.

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