Overview
Chester is a historic Roman city with a strong financial services and tourism sector. MBNA is one of the largest private sector employers.
The median salary in Chester is £32,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 70/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £850/month, residents typically retain £24,200 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Chester vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Chester is highlighted.
London
100
Edinburgh
79
Bristol
78
Manchester
72
Leeds
70
Birmingham
68
Cardiff
66
Liverpool
65
Sheffield
63
Newcastle
61
Best Paying Jobs in Chester
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Chester Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £32,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 70/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £850/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £24,200/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.8% |
| Population | 120,000 |
Top Industries in Chester
Financial Services
Tourism
Healthcare
Retail
Education
Major Employers in Chester
NHS
MBNA
Storyhouse
University of Chester
Chester Zoo
Compare Chester with Other Cities
Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk