Home / Compare / Southampton vs Guildford
City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Guildford 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%
VS
South East England
Guildford
Median Salary £42,000
Cost of Living 88/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,400/mo
Real Take-Home £25,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4.2%
Unemployment 2.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Southampton vs Guildford

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 →

Guildford

Guildford is one of the UK's most prosperous towns with a strong technology and gaming sector near London.

Full Guildford Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Guildford

Browse live Guildford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Guildford Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Southampton
£52,800 vs £33,500
Compare →
London vs Guildford
£52,800 vs £42,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Southampton
£36,500 vs £33,500
Compare →
Manchester vs Guildford
£36,500 vs £42,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Southampton
£33,200 vs £33,500
Compare →
Birmingham vs Guildford
£33,200 vs £42,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top