City Comparison · 2026

Slough vs Bolton 2026

South East England

Slough

Median Salary £38,000

Cost of Living 82/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,200/mo

Real Take-Home £25,000/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.2%

Unemployment 3.5%

Greater Manchester

Bolton

Median Salary £29,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £680/mo

Real Take-Home £23,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.2%

Unemployment 5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Slough

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

Best for Affordability

Bolton

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Slough

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Bolton

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Slough

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Slough

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Slough vs Bolton

Slough

Slough is one of the UK's most economically productive towns with major multinational headquarters and excellent transport links.

Full Slough Guide →

Bolton

Bolton is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing roots and growing digital and professional services sectors.

Full Bolton Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Slough

Browse live Slough vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Slough Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Bolton

Browse live Bolton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Bolton Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Slough

£52,800 vs £38,000

Compare →

London vs Bolton

£52,800 vs £29,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Slough

£36,500 vs £38,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Bolton

£36,500 vs £29,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Slough

£33,200 vs £38,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Bolton

£33,200 vs £29,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →