City Comparison · 2026

Southampton vs Swansea 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%

Wales

Swansea

Median Salary £29,500

Cost of Living 63/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo

Real Take-Home £23,200/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.5%

Unemployment 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

Swansea

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

Swansea

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 Swansea

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 →

Swansea

Swansea is Wales's second city with a growing technology sector driven by Swansea University and major digital employers.

Full Swansea Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Southampton

Browse live Southampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Southampton Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Swansea

Browse live Swansea vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Swansea Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Southampton

£52,800 vs £33,500

Compare →

London vs Swansea

£52,800 vs £29,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Southampton

£36,500 vs £33,500

Compare →

Manchester vs Swansea

£36,500 vs £29,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Southampton

£33,200 vs £33,500

Compare →

Birmingham vs Swansea

£33,200 vs £29,500

Compare →

All City Comparisons →