DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Aberdeen vs Exeter

Aberdeen wins on purchasing power. Aberdeen devops engineers have £640/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.

Aberdeen salary
£65,000
£3,863/mo take-home
Exeter salary
£48,000
£3,173/mo take-home
Aberdeen wins by
+£640
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Aberdeen

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Aberdeen retains £640/month more than in Exeter — that's £7,680/year extra in purchasing power.

+£640
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
Exeter
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £48,000
Net monthly £3,173
Rent (1-bed) £1,000
Rent-to-income 32% — Comfortable
After rent £2,173

Aberdeen vs Exeter: what the £640/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Aberdeen devops engineer roles pay £17,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,863/month versus £3,173/month in Exeter.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, Aberdeen workers have £2,813/month disposable income versus £2,173/month in Exeter — that is £7,680/year in real spending power.

Aberdeen's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Exeter's 32%.

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 Exeter Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,050 £1,000 -5%
Transport £60 £68 +13%
Council tax £148 £125 -16%
Groceries £285 £272 -5%
Disposable income remaining £2,180 £1,573 -28%

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 70 for Exeter, a salary of £65,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £62,350 in Exeter.

Aberdeen £65,000 ≈
£62,350
in Exeter

Income retention after all essentials

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

Aberdeen 56%
Exeter 50%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Aberdeen £2.77
Exeter £2.66
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen £1.43
Exeter £1.62
Gym membership
Aberdeen £40/mo
Exeter £39/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen £11.68
Exeter £11.20

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Exeter? +
Aberdeen pays a median £65,000 vs £48,000 in Exeter — a gross difference of £17,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Aberdeen professionals have £640/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 Exeter? +
In Aberdeen: gross £65,000£3,863/month net take-home. In Exeter: gross £48,000£3,173/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,813/month vs Exeter's £2,173/month.
What salary in Exeter matches Aberdeen purchasing power? +
Approximately £62,350 in Exeter delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of 73 (Aberdeen) vs 70 (Exeter).
Is Aberdeen or Exeter cheaper to live in? +
Exeter is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 70 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100). Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed) vs £1,000/month in Exeter.
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 Exeter the equivalent ratio is 32%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Aberdeen and Exeter

Afford Aberdeen on £65,000? Afford Exeter on £50,000? Salary equivalence: Aberdeen → Exeter Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Aberdeen Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Exeter

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