City Comparison · 2026

Slough vs Cheltenham 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%

South West England

Cheltenham

Median Salary £34,000

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £25,100/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.2%

Unemployment 3.2%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Cheltenham

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

Best for Affordability

Cheltenham

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

Cheltenham

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

Cheltenham

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

Top Salaries: Slough vs Cheltenham

Slough

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

Full Slough Guide →

Cheltenham

Cheltenham is home to GCHQ and has a strong cybersecurity and technology cluster making it one of the South West's highest earning cities.

Full Cheltenham Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Slough

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Cheltenham

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