London vs Edinburgh
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh accountant (qualified)s have £169/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in Edinburgh retains £169/month more than in London — that's £2,028/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Edinburgh: what the £169/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, London accountant (qualified) roles pay £16,000/year more than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,802/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £1,702/month disposable income versus £1,533/month in London — that is £2,028/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 39% compares favourably to London's 58%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 72 for Edinburgh, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £41,750 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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