DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Birmingham vs Leeds

Birmingham wins on purchasing power. Birmingham devops engineers have £98/month more disposable income after rent than their Leeds counterparts.

Birmingham salary
£58,000
£3,683/mo take-home
Leeds salary
£57,000
£3,635/mo take-home
Birmingham wins by
+£98
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Birmingham

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Birmingham retains £98/month more than in Leeds — that's £1,176/year extra in purchasing power.

+£98
per month
Birmingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £58,000
Net monthly £3,683
Rent (1-bed) £850
Rent-to-income 23% — Comfortable
After rent £2,833
Leeds
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £57,000
Net monthly £3,635
Rent (1-bed) £900
Rent-to-income 25% — Comfortable
After rent £2,735

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Birmingham Leeds Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £850 £900 +6%
Transport £65 £65 0%
Council tax £118 £112 -5%
Groceries £265 £270 +2%
Disposable income remaining £2,245 £2,153 -4%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 65 for Birmingham and 66 for Leeds, a salary of £58,000 in Birmingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,900 in Leeds.

Birmingham £58,000 ≈
£58,900
in Leeds

Income retention after all essentials

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

Birmingham 61%
Leeds 59%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Birmingham £2.47
Leeds £2.51
Transit (single trip)
Birmingham £1.55
Leeds £1.55
Gym membership
Birmingham £36/mo
Leeds £36/mo
Cinema ticket
Birmingham £10.40
Leeds £10.56

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Birmingham or Leeds? +
Birmingham pays a median £58,000 vs £57,000 in Leeds — a gross difference of £1,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Birmingham professionals have £98/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Birmingham vs Leeds? +
In Birmingham: gross £58,000£3,683/month net take-home. In Leeds: gross £57,000£3,635/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Birmingham leaves £2,833/month vs Leeds's £2,735/month.
What salary in Leeds matches Birmingham purchasing power? +
Approximately £58,900 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,000 in Birmingham, based on a cost-of-living index of 65 (Birmingham) vs 66 (Leeds).
Is Birmingham or Leeds cheaper to live in? +
Birmingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 65 vs 66 for Leeds (London = 100). Rent in Birmingham averages £850/month (1-bed) vs £900/month in Leeds.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Birmingham? +
A devops engineer in Birmingham earning £58,000 takes home £3,683/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 23% (comfortable). In Leeds the equivalent ratio is 25%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Birmingham and Leeds

Afford Birmingham on £60,000? Afford Leeds on £55,000? Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Birmingham Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Leeds