DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Brighton vs York

Brighton wins on purchasing power. Brighton devops engineers have £37/month more disposable income after rent than their York counterparts.

Brighton salary
£60,000
£3,780/mo take-home
York salary
£50,000
£3,293/mo take-home
Brighton wins by
+£37
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Brighton

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Brighton retains £37/month more than in York — that's £444/year extra in purchasing power.

+£37
per month
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
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £50,000
Net monthly £3,293
Rent (1-bed) £950
Rent-to-income 29% — Comfortable
After rent £2,343

Brighton vs York: what the £37/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Brighton devops engineer roles pay £10,000/year more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Brighton workers keep £3,780/month versus £3,293/month in York.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Brighton rent runs £1,400/month versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in, Brighton workers have £2,380/month disposable income versus £2,343/month in York — that is £444/year in real spending power.

Brighton's rent-to-income ratio of 37% compares favourably to York's 29%.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Brighton York Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,400 £950 -32%
Transport £80 £68 -15%
Council tax £155 £120 -23%
Groceries £295 £270 -8%
Disposable income remaining £1,710 £1,750 +2%

Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 82 for Brighton and 68 for York, a salary of £60,000 in Brighton delivers equivalent purchasing power to £49,750 in York.

Brighton £60,000 ≈
£49,750
in York

Income retention after all essentials

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

Brighton 45%
York 53%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Brighton £3.12
York £2.58
Transit (single trip)
Brighton £1.90
York £1.62
Gym membership
Brighton £45/mo
York £37/mo
Cinema ticket
Brighton £13.12
York £10.88

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Brighton or York? +
Brighton pays a median £60,000 vs £50,000 in York — a gross difference of £10,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Brighton professionals have £37/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Brighton vs York? +
In Brighton: gross £60,000£3,780/month net take-home. In York: gross £50,000£3,293/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Brighton leaves £2,380/month vs York's £2,343/month.
What salary in York matches Brighton purchasing power? +
Approximately £49,750 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to £60,000 in Brighton, based on a cost-of-living index of 82 (Brighton) vs 68 (York).
Is Brighton or York cheaper to live in? +
York is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 68 vs 82 for Brighton (London = 100). Rent in Brighton averages £1,400/month (1-bed) vs £950/month in York.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Brighton? +
A devops engineer in Brighton earning £60,000 takes home £3,780/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,400/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 37% (stretched). In York the equivalent ratio is 29%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Brighton and York

Afford Brighton on £60,000? Afford York on £50,000? Salary equivalence: Brighton → York Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Brighton Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in York

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