Southend is the second worst place to make a living in the UK, with Basildon ranking sixth.
The research, done by Totally Money, ranks 59 locations in England from best to worst.
It considers the median monthly take-home salary, average monthly mortgage repayment, cost of living, unemployment levels, and job growth to rank locations.
Southend’s median monthly take-home salary was only £413 compared to top spot Crawley’s £633.
South East England was found to be the best region to make a living, with Crawley and Derby sitting in the top two.
The research does not reflect what a location is like to live in, neither does it take into account scenery, culture or connections.
Teacher Chris Fynes, 29, of Victoria Road, Southend said: “I can believe this, even though I’ve got a reasonably well-paid job, the pressure is still there.
He said: “Once all the bills have gone out each month, it doesn’t leave much left.”
Neil Grant, 67, of Southend, agreed that it was one of the worst places to earn a living and described how the local business economy was seriously suffering.
Mr Grant said: “Southend is going downhill.”
“I walk through Southend High Street every day and with all the shops closing down it’s like a ghost town.”
James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, admitted that there are issues with the High Street. He said: “We do need to do more to bring more people into the high street.”
But he strongly disagreed with Southend’s low rank: “To be able to live and work by the sea, and commute into London in under an hour is fantastic.
“This is clearly bonkers considering London has been ranked poorly too.”
Basildon resident Betty Jeffrey, 78, said she thinks Basildon is “definitely” one of the worst places to make a living.
Mrs Jeffrey said: “The economy is bad in Basildon.”
Angela Lamb, 56, of Laindon West moved from Brentwood to Basildon two years ago and said: “It is cheaper for me to live here than in Brentwood.
“I was able to get a nice property here when I moved. I don’t feel like my quality of life has gone down and I take home more money each month now.”
John Baron, MP for Basildon, said: “I am surprised by the results of this. Basildon is an excellent place to live, work and raise a family, with a thriving local economy.”
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