I can accept that the 70’s pub rock movement era of Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson is roughly equal
however I do feel that Joe Jackson late career experiments with classical music and jazz to be more convincing (after all Joe Jackson is a classically trained pianist and performed in a jazz band before getting into pub rock scene) and I much enjoy his late career albums where although uneven often alternates between good and mediocre album while I can’t really get into Elvis Costello album post 1986. Joe Jackson Symphony No.1 which is a jazz/classical inspired progressive rock album is far better album than any of Elvis Costello jazz/classical experiment. He attempts to synthesise those genre with rock music and hence sounds unique while Elvis Costello just seems to just cover classical or vocal jazz up straight and just seemed inferior to the masters.

Also Joe Jackson is a far more interesting live artist with rearrangement of his song and his live albums are essential.