City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Blackpool 2026

South East England

Southampton

Median Salary £33,500

Cost of Living 72/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo

Real Take-Home £24,800/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4%

Unemployment 4.2%

Lancashire

Blackpool

Median Salary £25,500

Cost of Living 58/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £550/mo

Real Take-Home £20,900/yr

Job Growth ↑ 2.5%

Unemployment 7.5%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Southampton

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

Best for Affordability

Blackpool

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

Highest Headline Salary

Southampton

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

Lowest Rent

Blackpool

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

Best for Career Growth

Southampton

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

Best Overall Value

Southampton

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

Top Salaries: Southampton vs Blackpool

Southampton

Southampton is the UK's busiest cruise port with a strong maritime economy and two major universities driving the knowledge economy.

Full Southampton Guide →

Blackpool

Blackpool is a major seaside resort with the most affordable living costs of any UK city but faces significant economic challenges.

Full Blackpool Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Blackpool

Browse live Blackpool vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Blackpool Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Southampton

£52,800 vs £33,500

Compare →

London vs Blackpool

£52,800 vs £25,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Southampton

£36,500 vs £33,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Blackpool

£36,500 vs £25,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Southampton

£33,200 vs £33,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Blackpool

£33,200 vs £25,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →