Winner on purchasing power
Cambridge
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Cambridge retains
£123/month more than in Nottingham —
that's £1,476/year extra in purchasing power.
Cambridge
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£70,000
Net monthly
£4,263
Rent (1-bed)
£1,500
Rent-to-income
35% — Stretched
After rent
£2,763
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£54,000
Net monthly
£3,490
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
24% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,640
Cambridge vs Nottingham: what the £123/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Cambridge devops engineer roles pay £16,000/year
more than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cambridge workers keep £4,263/month versus
£3,490/month in Nottingham.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cambridge rent runs £1,500/month
versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in,
Cambridge workers have £2,763/month
disposable income versus £2,640/month in Nottingham —
that is £1,476/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 35%
compares favourably to Nottingham's 24%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cambridge |
Nottingham |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,500 |
£850 |
-43% |
| Transport |
£75 |
£58 |
-23% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£118 |
-24% |
| Groceries |
£300 |
£260 |
-13% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,093 |
£2,071 |
-1% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 87 for Cambridge
and 63 for Nottingham,
a salary of £70,000 in Cambridge delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £50,700 in Nottingham.
Cambridge £70,000 ≈
£50,700
in Nottingham
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
Cambridge
£3.31
Nottingham
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Cambridge
£1.79
Nottingham
£1.38
Gym membership
Cambridge
£48/mo
Nottingham
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Cambridge
£13.92
Nottingham
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Cambridge or Nottingham?
+
Cambridge pays a median £70,000 vs £54,000 in Nottingham
— a gross difference of £16,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Cambridge professionals
have £123/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Cambridge vs Nottingham?
+
In Cambridge: gross £70,000 → £4,263/month net take-home.
In Nottingham: gross £54,000 → £3,490/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cambridge leaves £2,763/month
vs Nottingham's £2,640/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches Cambridge purchasing power?
+
Approximately £50,700 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£70,000 in Cambridge, based on a cost-of-living index of
87 (Cambridge) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is Cambridge or Nottingham cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 87 for Cambridge (London = 100).
Rent in Cambridge averages £1,500/month (1-bed)
vs £850/month in Nottingham.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Cambridge?
+
A devops engineer in Cambridge earning £70,000 takes home
£4,263/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,500/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 35%
(stretched).
In Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 24%.