Winner on purchasing power
Leeds
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Leeds retains
£19/month more than in Oxford —
that's £228/year extra in purchasing power.
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
Oxford
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£68,000
Net monthly
£4,166
Rent (1-bed)
£1,450
Rent-to-income
35% — Stretched
After rent
£2,716
Leeds vs Oxford: what the £19/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Leeds devops engineer roles pay £11,000/year
less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Leeds workers keep £3,635/month versus
£4,166/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Leeds rent runs £900/month
versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leeds workers have £2,735/month
disposable income versus £2,716/month in Oxford —
that is £228/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Oxford's 35%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Leeds |
Oxford |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£1,450 |
+61% |
| Transport |
£65 |
£80 |
+23% |
| Council tax |
£112 |
£155 |
+38% |
| Groceries |
£270 |
£300 |
+11% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,153 |
£2,041 |
-5% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 66 for Leeds
and 85 for Oxford,
a salary of £57,000 in Leeds delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £73,400 in Oxford.
Leeds £57,000 ≈
£73,400
in Oxford
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
Leeds
£2.51
Oxford
£3.23
Transit (single trip)
Leeds
£1.55
Oxford
£1.90
Gym membership
Leeds
£36/mo
Oxford
£47/mo
Cinema ticket
Leeds
£10.56
Oxford
£13.60
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Leeds or Oxford?
+
Leeds pays a median £57,000 vs £68,000 in Oxford
— a gross difference of £11,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals
have £19/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 Oxford?
+
In Leeds: gross £57,000 → £3,635/month net take-home.
In Oxford: gross £68,000 → £4,166/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Leeds leaves £2,735/month
vs Oxford's £2,716/month.
What salary in Oxford matches Leeds purchasing power?
+
Approximately £73,400 in Oxford delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£57,000 in Leeds, based on a cost-of-living index of
66 (Leeds) vs 85 (Oxford).
Is Leeds or Oxford cheaper to live in?
+
Leeds is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 66 vs 85 for Oxford (London = 100).
Rent in Leeds averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £1,450/month in Oxford.
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 Oxford the equivalent ratio is 35%.