Home / Compare / Sunderland vs Lancaster
City Comparison · 2026

Sunderland vs Lancaster 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
Lancashire
Lancaster
Median Salary £28,500
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo
Real Take-Home £22,600/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 4.5%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Sunderland
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
Lancaster
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
Lancaster
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Sunderland
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Sunderland vs Lancaster

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 →

Lancaster

Lancaster is a historic city with Lancaster University driving the knowledge economy and growing digital and healthcare sectors.

Full Lancaster Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Sunderland

Browse live Sunderland vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Sunderland Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Lancaster

Browse live Lancaster vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Lancaster Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Sunderland
£52,800 vs £27,800
Compare →
London vs Lancaster
£52,800 vs £28,500
Compare →
Manchester vs Sunderland
£36,500 vs £27,800
Compare →
Manchester vs Lancaster
£36,500 vs £28,500
Compare →
Birmingham vs Sunderland
£33,200 vs £27,800
Compare →
Birmingham vs Lancaster
£33,200 vs £28,500
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top