DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Exeter vs Nottingham

Nottingham wins on purchasing power. Nottingham devops engineers have £467/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.

Exeter salary
£48,000
£3,173/mo take-home
Nottingham salary
£54,000
£3,490/mo take-home
Nottingham wins by
+£467
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Nottingham retains £467/month more than in Exeter — that's £5,604/year extra in purchasing power.

+£467
per month
Exeter
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £48,000
Net monthly £3,173
Rent (1-bed) £1,000
Rent-to-income 32% — Comfortable
After rent £2,173
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

Exeter vs Nottingham: what the £467/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Exeter devops engineer roles pay £6,000/year less than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Exeter workers keep £3,173/month versus £3,490/month in Nottingham.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Exeter rent runs £1,000/month versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in, Nottingham workers have £2,640/month disposable income versus £2,173/month in Exeter — that is £5,604/year in real spending power.

Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 24% compares favourably to Exeter's 32%.

For devops engineers prioritising financial freedom, Nottingham delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Exeter Nottingham Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,000 £850 -15%
Transport £68 £58 -15%
Council tax £125 £118 -6%
Groceries £272 £260 -4%
Disposable income remaining £1,573 £2,071 +32%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 70 for Exeter and 63 for Nottingham, a salary of £48,000 in Exeter delivers equivalent purchasing power to £43,200 in Nottingham.

Exeter £48,000 ≈
£43,200
in Nottingham

Income retention after all essentials

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

Exeter 50%
Nottingham 59%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Exeter £2.66
Nottingham £2.39
Transit (single trip)
Exeter £1.62
Nottingham £1.38
Gym membership
Exeter £39/mo
Nottingham £35/mo
Cinema ticket
Exeter £11.20
Nottingham £10.08

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Exeter or Nottingham? +
Exeter pays a median £48,000 vs £54,000 in Nottingham — a gross difference of £6,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals have £467/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Exeter vs Nottingham? +
In Exeter: gross £48,000£3,173/month net take-home. In Nottingham: gross £54,000£3,490/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Exeter leaves £2,173/month vs Nottingham's £2,640/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches Exeter purchasing power? +
Approximately £43,200 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to £48,000 in Exeter, based on a cost-of-living index of 70 (Exeter) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is Exeter or Nottingham cheaper to live in? +
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 70 for Exeter (London = 100). Rent in Exeter averages £1,000/month (1-bed) vs £850/month in Nottingham.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Exeter? +
A devops engineer in Exeter earning £48,000 takes home £3,173/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,000/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 32% (comfortable). In Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 24%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Exeter and Nottingham

Afford Exeter on £50,000? Afford Nottingham on £55,000? Salary equivalence: Exeter → Nottingham Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Exeter Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Nottingham

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