DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Leeds vs Manchester
Manchester wins on purchasing power. Manchester devops engineers have £91/month more disposable income after rent than their Leeds counterparts.
Leeds salary
£57,000
£3,635/mo take-home
Manchester salary
£62,000
£3,876/mo take-home
Manchester wins by
+£91
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Manchester
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Manchester retains £91/month more than in Leeds — that's £1,092/year extra in purchasing power.
+£91
per month
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
Manchester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£62,000
Net monthly
£3,876
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,826
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 66 for Leeds and 68 for Manchester, a salary of £57,000 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,750 in Manchester.
Leeds £57,000 ≈
£58,750
in Manchester
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Leeds
59%
Manchester
57%
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Leeds
£2.51
Manchester
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Leeds
£1.55
Manchester
£1.79
Gym membership
Leeds
£36/mo
Manchester
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Leeds
£10.56
Manchester
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Leeds or Manchester? +
Leeds pays a median £57,000 vs £62,000 in Manchester
— a gross difference of £5,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Manchester professionals
have £91/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Leeds vs Manchester? +
In Leeds: gross £57,000 → £3,635/month net take-home.
In Manchester: gross £62,000 → £3,876/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Leeds leaves £2,735/month
vs Manchester's £2,826/month.
What salary in Manchester matches Leeds purchasing power? +
Approximately £58,750 in Manchester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£57,000 in Leeds, based on a cost-of-living index of
66 (Leeds) vs 68 (Manchester).
Is Leeds or Manchester cheaper to live in? +
Leeds is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 66 vs 68 for Manchester (London = 100).
Rent in Leeds averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £1,050/month in Manchester.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Leeds? +
A devops engineer in Leeds earning £57,000 takes home
£3,635/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 25%
(comfortable).
In Manchester the equivalent ratio is 27%.