That’s £7,000 more than the average salary in the South East, highlighting a growing gap between earnings and the cost of living.
The findings come from a survey of 5,000 UK professionals as part of Reed’s latest salary guide report.
Grant Rigler, regional director at Reed, said: “The South East often mirrors London in terms of living costs, but salaries don’t always reflect that same premium.
“These findings expose a significant disconnect between what professionals earn and the income required to maintain a comfortable lifestyle in one of the UK’s most expensive regions.”
The majority of South East workers – 56 per cent – said they were satisfied with their pay, but 22 per cent expressed dissatisfaction.
Of those unhappy with their earnings, 57 per cent said pay had not kept up with rising living costs.
Nearly a third, 28 per cent, said they have £100 or less left after monthly bills, while nine per cent said their entire wage is spent on essentials, leaving no disposable income.
Mr Rigler said job market behaviour is shifting.
He said: “We are noticing a cooling in the job market’s volatility.
“Professionals in the South East are adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach.
“Unless a new offer comes with a significant financial uplift or guaranteed stability, people are choosing to stay put.”
To retain staff, employers would need to offer a pay rise of £3,488, while attracting new talent would require offering £10,737 more.
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