Overview
Colchester is Britain's oldest recorded town with a major Army garrison and growing university driving knowledge economy growth.
The median salary in Colchester is £30,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 68/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £850/month, residents typically retain £23,000 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Colchester vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Colchester 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 Colchester
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Colchester Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £30,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 68/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £850/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £23,000/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.5% |
| Population | 190,000 |
Top Industries in Colchester
Defence
Healthcare
Retail
Education
Tourism
Major Employers in Colchester
British Army
NHS
University of Essex
Colchester Borough Council
Compare Colchester with Other Cities
Colchester vs London
£30,000 vs £52,800
Compare →
Colchester vs Manchester
£30,000 vs £36,500
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Colchester vs Birmingham
£30,000 vs £33,200
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Colchester vs Edinburgh
£30,000 vs £38,900
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Colchester vs Bristol
£30,000 vs £38,200
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Colchester vs Leeds
£30,000 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk