Overview
Middlesbrough is the heart of the Tees Valley with a major chemical and manufacturing cluster and significant investment in digital.
The median salary in Middlesbrough is £28,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 58/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £580/month, residents typically retain £22,800 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Middlesbrough vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Middlesbrough 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 Middlesbrough
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Middlesbrough Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £28,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 58/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £580/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £22,800/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.2% |
| Population | 174,000 |
Top Industries in Middlesbrough
Chemical
Healthcare
Manufacturing
Digital
Education
Major Employers in Middlesbrough
NHS
Sabic
PD Ports
Teesside University
Cleveland Police
Compare Middlesbrough with Other Cities
Middlesbrough vs London
£28,000 vs £52,800
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Middlesbrough vs Manchester
£28,000 vs £36,500
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Middlesbrough vs Birmingham
£28,000 vs £33,200
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Middlesbrough vs Edinburgh
£28,000 vs £38,900
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Middlesbrough vs Bristol
£28,000 vs £38,200
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Middlesbrough vs Leeds
£28,000 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk