Overview
Milton Keynes is one of the UK's fastest growing cities with a strong business services and technology sector.
The median salary in Milton Keynes is £38,500 per year. With a cost of living index of 78/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £1,100/month, residents typically retain £26,800 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Milton Keynes vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Milton Keynes 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 Milton Keynes
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Milton Keynes Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £38,500 |
| Cost of Living Index | 78/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £1,100/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £26,800/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 5.5% |
| Population | 275,000 |
Top Industries in Milton Keynes
Finance
Retail
Technology
Logistics
Automotive
Major Employers in Milton Keynes
Network Rail
Volkswagen UK
Dominos
Marshall Amplification
Compare Milton Keynes with Other Cities
Milton Keynes vs London
£38,500 vs £52,800
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Milton Keynes vs London
£38,500 vs £52,800
Compare →
Milton Keynes vs Manchester
£38,500 vs £36,500
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Milton Keynes vs Manchester
£38,500 vs £36,500
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Milton Keynes vs Birmingham
£38,500 vs £33,200
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Milton Keynes vs Birmingham
£38,500 vs £33,200
Compare →
Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk