City Comparison · 2026

Wolverhampton vs Oxford 2026

West Midlands

Wolverhampton

Median Salary £28,800

Cost of Living 62/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £660/mo

Real Take-Home £22,600/yr

Job Growth ↑ 3.4%

Unemployment 5.9%

South East England

Oxford

Median Salary £40,000

Cost of Living 90/100

Avg Rent (1 bed) £1,400/mo

Real Take-Home £25,000/yr

Job Growth ↑ 4.5%

Unemployment 2.8%

Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary

Oxford

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

Best for Affordability

Wolverhampton

Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.

Highest Headline Salary

Oxford

Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.

Lowest Rent

Wolverhampton

More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.

Best for Career Growth

Oxford

Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.

Best Overall Value

Oxford

When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Wolverhampton vs Oxford

Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton is a major West Midlands city with a strong manufacturing base and significant investment in regeneration.

Full Wolverhampton Guide →

Oxford

Oxford combines world-class academia with a growing biomedical and technology cluster. Very high cost of living relative to salary.

Full Oxford Guide →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Wolverhampton

Browse live Wolverhampton vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Wolverhampton Jobs →

Live Jobs

Jobs in Oxford

Browse live Oxford vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Oxford Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Wolverhampton

£52,800 vs £28,800

Compare →

London vs Oxford

£52,800 vs £40,000

Compare →

Manchester vs Wolverhampton

£36,500 vs £28,800

Compare →

Manchester vs Oxford

£36,500 vs £40,000

Compare →

Birmingham vs Wolverhampton

£33,200 vs £28,800

Compare →

Birmingham vs Oxford

£33,200 vs £40,000

Compare →

All City Comparisons →