Overview
Guildford is one of the UK's most prosperous towns with a strong technology and gaming sector near London.
The median salary in Guildford is £42,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 88/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £1,400/month, residents typically retain £25,400 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Guildford vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Guildford 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 Guildford
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Guildford Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £42,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 88/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £1,400/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £25,400/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 4.2% |
| Population | 79,000 |
Top Industries in Guildford
Technology
Finance
Defence
Education
Creative
Major Employers in Guildford
University of Surrey
NHS
Philips
Electronic Arts
Vodafone
Compare Guildford with Other Cities
Guildford vs London
£42,000 vs £52,800
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Guildford vs Manchester
£42,000 vs £36,500
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Guildford vs Birmingham
£42,000 vs £33,200
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Guildford vs Edinburgh
£42,000 vs £38,900
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Guildford vs Bristol
£42,000 vs £38,200
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Guildford vs Leeds
£42,000 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk