DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Aberdeen vs Brighton

Aberdeen wins on purchasing power. Aberdeen devops engineers have £433/month more disposable income after rent than their Brighton counterparts.

Aberdeen salary
£65,000
£3,863/mo take-home
Brighton salary
£60,000
£3,780/mo take-home
Aberdeen wins by
+£433
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Aberdeen

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Aberdeen retains £433/month more than in Brighton — that's £5,196/year extra in purchasing power.

+£433
per month
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £65,000
Net monthly £3,863
Rent (1-bed) £1,050
Rent-to-income 27% — Comfortable
After rent £2,813
Brighton
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £60,000
Net monthly £3,780
Rent (1-bed) £1,400
Rent-to-income 37% — Stretched
After rent £2,380

Aberdeen vs Brighton: what the £433/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Aberdeen devops engineer roles pay £5,000/year more than Brighton. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,863/month versus £3,780/month in Brighton.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £1,400/month in Brighton. Once housing costs are factored in, Aberdeen workers have £2,813/month disposable income versus £2,380/month in Brighton — that is £5,196/year in real spending power.

Aberdeen's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Brighton's 37%.

For devops engineers prioritising financial freedom, Aberdeen delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Aberdeen Brighton Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,050 £1,400 +33%
Transport £60 £80 +33%
Council tax £148 £155 +5%
Groceries £285 £295 +4%
Disposable income remaining £2,180 £1,710 -22%

Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 82 for Brighton, a salary of £65,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £73,000 in Brighton.

Aberdeen £65,000 ≈
£73,000
in Brighton

Income retention after all essentials

% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries

Aberdeen 56%
Brighton 45%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Aberdeen £2.77
Brighton £3.12
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen £1.43
Brighton £1.90
Gym membership
Aberdeen £40/mo
Brighton £45/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen £11.68
Brighton £13.12

Financial tools

Popular products for UK earners

Best match
Amex Gold
Earn points on everyday spending
Annual fee: £140
Apply Now
Travel rewards
Barclaycard Avios
Collect Avios on every purchase
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Cashback
Chase UK Cashback
1% cashback, no annual fee
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now

Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Brighton? +
Aberdeen pays a median £65,000 vs £60,000 in Brighton — a gross difference of £5,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Aberdeen professionals have £433/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Aberdeen vs Brighton? +
In Aberdeen: gross £65,000£3,863/month net take-home. In Brighton: gross £60,000£3,780/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,813/month vs Brighton's £2,380/month.
What salary in Brighton matches Aberdeen purchasing power? +
Approximately £73,000 in Brighton delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of 73 (Aberdeen) vs 82 (Brighton).
Is Aberdeen or Brighton cheaper to live in? +
Aberdeen is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 73 vs 82 for Brighton (London = 100). Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed) vs £1,400/month in Brighton.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Aberdeen? +
A devops engineer in Aberdeen earning £65,000 takes home £3,863/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,050/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 27% (comfortable). In Brighton the equivalent ratio is 37%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Aberdeen and Brighton

Afford Aberdeen on £65,000? Afford Brighton on £60,000? Salary equivalence: Aberdeen → Brighton Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Aberdeen Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Brighton

Data sources & methodology

ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 · Rightmove Rental Trends Tracker Q1 2026 · Numbeo Cost of Living 2026

Analysis by the SalaryDex data team · May 2026 · Corrections: [email protected] · Full methodology · Data transparency pledge