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City Comparison · 2026

Shrewsbury vs Colchester 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
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
Colchester
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
Colchester
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
Colchester
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Colchester
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Shrewsbury vs Colchester

Shrewsbury

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

Full Shrewsbury 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 Shrewsbury

Browse live Shrewsbury vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Colchester

Browse live Colchester vacancies on Reed right now.

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