Brighton vs Edinburgh
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh accountant (qualified)s have £49/month more disposable income after rent than their Brighton counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in Edinburgh retains £49/month more than in Brighton — that's £588/year extra in purchasing power.
Brighton vs Edinburgh: what the £49/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, Brighton accountant (qualified) roles pay £4,000/year more than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Brighton workers keep £3,053/month versus £2,802/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Brighton rent runs £1,400/month versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £1,702/month disposable income versus £1,653/month in Brighton — that is £588/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 39% compares favourably to Brighton's 46%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 82 for Brighton and 72 for Edinburgh, a salary of £46,000 in Brighton delivers equivalent purchasing power to £40,400 in Edinburgh.
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
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