DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Edinburgh vs Sheffield

Sheffield wins on purchasing power. Sheffield devops engineers have £44/month more disposable income after rent than their Edinburgh counterparts.

Edinburgh salary
£63,000
£3,769/mo take-home
Sheffield salary
£55,000
£3,538/mo take-home
Sheffield wins by
+£44
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Sheffield retains £44/month more than in Edinburgh — that's £528/year extra in purchasing power.

+£44
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
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £55,000
Net monthly £3,538
Rent (1-bed) £825
Rent-to-income 23% — Comfortable
After rent £2,713

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Edinburgh Sheffield Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,100 £825 -25%
Transport £62 £65 +5%
Council tax £155 £126 -19%
Groceries £280 £265 -5%
Disposable income remaining £2,042 £2,123 +4%

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 63 for Sheffield, a salary of £63,000 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £55,150 in Sheffield.

Edinburgh £63,000 ≈
£55,150
in Sheffield

Income retention after all essentials

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

Edinburgh 54%
Sheffield 60%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Edinburgh £2.74
Sheffield £2.39
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh £1.48
Sheffield £1.55
Gym membership
Edinburgh £40/mo
Sheffield £35/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh £11.52
Sheffield £10.08

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Edinburgh or Sheffield? +
Edinburgh pays a median £63,000 vs £55,000 in Sheffield — a gross difference of £8,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals have £44/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 Sheffield? +
In Edinburgh: gross £63,000£3,769/month net take-home. In Sheffield: gross £55,000£3,538/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,669/month vs Sheffield's £2,713/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Edinburgh purchasing power? +
Approximately £55,150 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to £63,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of 72 (Edinburgh) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Edinburgh or Sheffield cheaper to live in? +
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100). Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed) vs £825/month in Sheffield.
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 Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 23%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Edinburgh and Sheffield

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