DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Edinburgh vs Leeds

Leeds wins on purchasing power. Leeds devops engineers have £66/month more disposable income after rent than their Edinburgh counterparts.

Edinburgh salary
£63,000
£3,769/mo take-home
Leeds salary
£57,000
£3,635/mo take-home
Leeds wins by
+£66
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Leeds

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Leeds retains £66/month more than in Edinburgh — that's £792/year extra in purchasing power.

+£66
per month
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £63,000
Net monthly £3,769
Rent (1-bed) £1,100
Rent-to-income 29% — Comfortable
After rent £2,669
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 Edinburgh Leeds Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,100 £900 -18%
Transport £62 £65 +5%
Council tax £155 £112 -28%
Groceries £280 £270 -4%
Disposable income remaining £2,042 £2,153 +5%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh and 66 for Leeds, a salary of £63,000 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £57,750 in Leeds.

Edinburgh £63,000 ≈
£57,750
in Leeds

Income retention after all essentials

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

Edinburgh 54%
Leeds 59%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Edinburgh £2.74
Leeds £2.51
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh £1.48
Leeds £1.55
Gym membership
Edinburgh £40/mo
Leeds £36/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh £11.52
Leeds £10.56

Financial tools

Popular products for UK earners

Best match
Amex Gold
Earn points on everyday spending
Annual fee: £140
Apply Now
Travel rewards
Barclaycard Avios
Collect Avios on every purchase
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Cashback
Chase UK Cashback
1% cashback, no annual fee
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now

Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Edinburgh or Leeds? +
Edinburgh pays a median £63,000 vs £57,000 in Leeds — a gross difference of £6,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals have £66/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Edinburgh vs Leeds? +
In Edinburgh: gross £63,000£3,769/month net take-home. In Leeds: gross £57,000£3,635/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,669/month vs Leeds's £2,735/month.
What salary in Leeds matches Edinburgh purchasing power? +
Approximately £57,750 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to £63,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of 72 (Edinburgh) vs 66 (Leeds).
Is Edinburgh or Leeds cheaper to live in? +
Leeds is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 66 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100). Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed) vs £900/month in Leeds.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Edinburgh? +
A devops engineer in Edinburgh earning £63,000 takes home £3,769/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,100/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 29% (comfortable). In Leeds the equivalent ratio is 25%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Edinburgh and Leeds

Afford Edinburgh on £65,000? Afford Leeds on £55,000? Salary equivalence: Edinburgh → Leeds Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Edinburgh Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Leeds