Home / Compare / Sunderland vs Aberdeen
City Comparison · 2026

Sunderland vs Aberdeen 2026

North East England
Sunderland
Median Salary £27,800
Cost of Living 58/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £580/mo
Real Take-Home £22,600/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3%
Unemployment 6.2%
VS
Scotland
Aberdeen
Median Salary £40,000
Cost of Living 76/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £900/mo
Real Take-Home £28,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 3.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Top Salaries: Sunderland vs Aberdeen

Sunderland

Sunderland is home to Nissan's largest European plant and has a growing digital and technology sector driven by major investment.

Full Sunderland Guide →

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe with above-average salaries driven by the energy sector despite a challenging transition period.

Full Aberdeen Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Sunderland

Browse live Sunderland vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Sunderland Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Aberdeen

Browse live Aberdeen vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Aberdeen Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Sunderland
£52,800 vs £27,800
Compare →
London vs Aberdeen
£52,800 vs £40,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Sunderland
£36,500 vs £27,800
Compare →
Manchester vs Aberdeen
£36,500 vs £40,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Sunderland
£33,200 vs £27,800
Compare →
Birmingham vs Aberdeen
£33,200 vs £40,000
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top