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City Comparison · 2026

Stoke-on-Trent vs Chester 2026

Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent
Median Salary £27,500
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £600/mo
Real Take-Home £22,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3%
Unemployment 6.2%
VS
Cheshire
Chester
Median Salary £32,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £850/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Stoke-on-Trent vs Chester

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke-on-Trent is undergoing regeneration with bet365 as a major employer and growing logistics and manufacturing sectors.

Full Stoke-on-Trent Guide →

Chester

Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.

Full Chester Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Stoke-on-Trent

Browse live Stoke-on-Trent vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Stoke-on-Trent Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Chester

Browse live Chester vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Chester Jobs →

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