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City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Middlesbrough 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
Tees Valley
Middlesbrough
Median Salary £28,000
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo
Real Take-Home £22,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 6.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Southampton
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Middlesbrough
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
Middlesbrough
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 Middlesbrough

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 →

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is the heart of the Tees Valley with a major chemical and manufacturing cluster and significant investment in digital.

Full Middlesbrough Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Middlesbrough

Browse live Middlesbrough vacancies on Reed right now.

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