Overview
St Albans is one of the UK's most affluent towns with the highest average salaries outside London and very high living costs.
The median salary in St Albans is £45,000 per year. With a cost of living index of 90/100 (London = 100) and average rents of £1,500/month, residents typically retain £26,500 per year in real spending power after rent — an important figure that headline salaries don't reveal.
Cost of Living: St Albans vs UK Cities
Cost of living index where London = 100. Lower score = more affordable. St Albans 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 St Albans
Full city salary breakdown coming soon. Browse all UK salary guides →
St Albans Job Market at a Glance
| Median Annual Salary | £45,000 |
| Cost of Living Index | 90/100 |
| Average Rent (1 bed) | £1,500/mo |
| Real Take-Home After Rent | £26,500/yr |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.2% |
| Job Growth (YoY) | ↑ 4.5% |
| Population | 82,000 |
Top Industries in St Albans
Finance
Technology
Healthcare
Retail
Education
Major Employers in St Albans
NHS
Sopra Steria
University of Hertfordshire
St Albans City Council
Compare St Albans with Other Cities
St Albans vs London
£45,000 vs £52,800
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St Albans vs Manchester
£45,000 vs £36,500
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St Albans vs Birmingham
£45,000 vs £33,200
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St Albans vs Edinburgh
£45,000 vs £38,900
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St Albans vs Bristol
£45,000 vs £38,200
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St Albans vs Leeds
£45,000 vs £34,800
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Data Sources
ONS Regional Stats 2026
HMRC PAYE Data
Rightmove Rental Index
Numbeo UK
Reed.co.uk