Edinburgh vs Exeter
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh accountant (qualified)s have £129/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in Edinburgh retains £129/month more than in Exeter — that's £1,548/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh vs Exeter: what the £129/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, Edinburgh accountant (qualified) roles pay £4,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Edinburgh workers keep £2,802/month versus £2,573/month in Exeter.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £1,702/month disposable income versus £1,573/month in Exeter — that is £1,548/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 39% compares favourably to Exeter's 39%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh and 70 for Exeter, a salary of £42,000 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £40,850 in Exeter.
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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