Winner on purchasing power
Aberdeen
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Aberdeen retains
£172/month more than in Leicester —
that's £2,064/year extra in purchasing power.
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
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£53,000
Net monthly
£3,441
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
23% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,641
Aberdeen vs Leicester: what the £172/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Aberdeen devops engineer roles pay £12,000/year
more than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,863/month versus
£3,441/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in,
Aberdeen workers have £2,813/month
disposable income versus £2,641/month in Leicester —
that is £2,064/year in real spending power.
Aberdeen's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Leicester's 23%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
Leicester |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£800 |
-24% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£62 |
+3% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£118 |
-20% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£258 |
-9% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,180 |
£2,070 |
-5% |
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 63 for Leicester,
a salary of £65,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £56,100 in Leicester.
Aberdeen £65,000 ≈
£56,100
in Leicester
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
Cappuccino
Aberdeen
£2.77
Leicester
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
Leicester
£1.48
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Leicester
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
Leicester
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Leicester?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £65,000 vs £53,000 in Leicester
— a gross difference of £12,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Aberdeen professionals
have £172/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 Leicester?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £65,000 → £3,863/month net take-home.
In Leicester: gross £53,000 → £3,441/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,813/month
vs Leicester's £2,641/month.
What salary in Leicester matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £56,100 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£65,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 63 (Leicester).
Is Aberdeen or Leicester cheaper to live in?
+
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £800/month in Leicester.
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 Leicester the equivalent ratio is 23%.