Overview
Nottingham is a major retail and education centre in the East Midlands with growing bioscience and digital sectors.
The median salary in Nottingham is £30,200 per year. With a cost of living index of 64/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £720/month, residents typically retain £23,700 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: Nottingham vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. Nottingham 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 Nottingham
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
Nottingham Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £30,200 |
| Cost of Living Index | 64/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £720/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £23,700/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 3.4% |
| Population | 322,000 |
Top Industries in Nottingham
Retail
Healthcare
Finance
Digital
Bioscience
Major Employers in Nottingham
NHS
Boots
Capital One
Games Workshop
University of Nottingham
Compare Nottingham with Other Cities
Nottingham vs London
£30,200 vs £52,800
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Nottingham vs Manchester
£30,200 vs £36,500
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Nottingham vs Birmingham
£30,200 vs £33,200
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Nottingham vs Edinburgh
£30,200 vs £38,900
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Nottingham vs Bristol
£30,200 vs £38,200
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Nottingham vs Leeds
£30,200 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk