DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Leicester vs York

Leicester wins on purchasing power. Leicester devops engineers have £298/month more disposable income after rent than their York counterparts.

Leicester salary
£53,000
£3,441/mo take-home
York salary
£50,000
£3,293/mo take-home
Leicester wins by
+£298
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Leicester

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Leicester retains £298/month more than in York — that's £3,576/year extra in purchasing power.

+£298
per month
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £53,000
Net monthly £3,441
Rent (1-bed) £800
Rent-to-income 23% — Comfortable
After rent £2,641
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £50,000
Net monthly £3,293
Rent (1-bed) £950
Rent-to-income 29% — Comfortable
After rent £2,343

Leicester vs York: what the £298/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Leicester devops engineer roles pay £3,000/year more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Leicester workers keep £3,441/month versus £3,293/month in York.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Leicester rent runs £800/month versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in, Leicester workers have £2,641/month disposable income versus £2,343/month in York — that is £3,576/year in real spending power.

Leicester's rent-to-income ratio of 23% compares favourably to York's 29%.

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

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Leicester York Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £800 £950 +19%
Transport £62 £68 +10%
Council tax £118 £120 +2%
Groceries £258 £270 +5%
Disposable income remaining £2,070 £1,750 -15%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Leicester and 68 for York, a salary of £53,000 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to £57,200 in York.

Leicester £53,000 ≈
£57,200
in York

Income retention after all essentials

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

Leicester 60%
York 53%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Leicester £2.39
York £2.58
Transit (single trip)
Leicester £1.48
York £1.62
Gym membership
Leicester £35/mo
York £37/mo
Cinema ticket
Leicester £10.08
York £10.88

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 Leicester or York? +
Leicester pays a median £53,000 vs £50,000 in York — a gross difference of £3,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leicester professionals have £298/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Leicester vs York? +
In Leicester: gross £53,000£3,441/month net take-home. In York: gross £50,000£3,293/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Leicester leaves £2,641/month vs York's £2,343/month.
What salary in York matches Leicester purchasing power? +
Approximately £57,200 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to £53,000 in Leicester, based on a cost-of-living index of 63 (Leicester) vs 68 (York).
Is Leicester or York cheaper to live in? +
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 68 for York (London = 100). Rent in Leicester averages £800/month (1-bed) vs £950/month in York.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Leicester? +
A devops engineer in Leicester earning £53,000 takes home £3,441/month. With median 1-bed rent of £800/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 23% (comfortable). In York the equivalent ratio is 29%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Leicester and York

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

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