City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Shrewsbury 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%

West Midlands

Shrewsbury

Median Salary £28,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo

Real Take-Home £22,400/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3%

Unemployment 3.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Southampton

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

Best for Affordability

Shrewsbury

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

Shrewsbury

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 Shrewsbury

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 →

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire with a strong public sector and growing tourism economy.

Full Shrewsbury Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Shrewsbury

Browse live Shrewsbury vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Shrewsbury Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Southampton

£52,800 vs £33,500

Compare →

London vs Shrewsbury

£52,800 vs £28,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Southampton

£36,500 vs £33,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Shrewsbury

£36,500 vs £28,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Southampton

£33,200 vs £33,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Shrewsbury

£33,200 vs £28,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →