Winner on purchasing power
Newcastle
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Newcastle retains
£2/month more than in Liverpool —
that's £24/year extra in purchasing power.
Liverpool
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£55,000
Net monthly
£3,538
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
23% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,738
Newcastle
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£54,000
Net monthly
£3,490
Rent (1-bed)
£750
Rent-to-income
21% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,740
Liverpool vs Newcastle: what the £2/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Liverpool devops engineer roles pay £1,000/year
more than Newcastle. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Liverpool workers keep £3,538/month versus
£3,490/month in Newcastle.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Liverpool rent runs £800/month
versus £750/month in Newcastle. Once housing costs are factored in,
Newcastle workers have £2,740/month
disposable income versus £2,738/month in Liverpool —
that is £24/year in real spending power.
Newcastle's rent-to-income ratio of 21%
compares favourably to Liverpool's 23%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Liverpool |
Newcastle |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£800 |
£750 |
-6% |
| Transport |
£70 |
£75 |
+7% |
| Council tax |
£115 |
£112 |
-3% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£255 |
-2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,160 |
£2,166 |
0% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Liverpool
and 61 for Newcastle,
a salary of £55,000 in Liverpool delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £54,100 in Newcastle.
Liverpool £55,000 ≈
£54,100
in Newcastle
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
Liverpool
£2.36
Newcastle
£2.32
Transit (single trip)
Liverpool
£1.67
Newcastle
£1.79
Gym membership
Liverpool
£34/mo
Newcastle
£34/mo
Cinema ticket
Liverpool
£9.92
Newcastle
£9.76
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Liverpool or Newcastle?
+
Liverpool pays a median £55,000 vs £54,000 in Newcastle
— a gross difference of £1,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Newcastle professionals
have £2/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Liverpool vs Newcastle?
+
In Liverpool: gross £55,000 → £3,538/month net take-home.
In Newcastle: gross £54,000 → £3,490/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Liverpool leaves £2,738/month
vs Newcastle's £2,740/month.
What salary in Newcastle matches Liverpool purchasing power?
+
Approximately £54,100 in Newcastle delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£55,000 in Liverpool, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Liverpool) vs 61 (Newcastle).
Is Liverpool or Newcastle cheaper to live in?
+
Newcastle is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 61 vs 62 for Liverpool (London = 100).
Rent in Liverpool averages £800/month (1-bed)
vs £750/month in Newcastle.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Liverpool?
+
A devops engineer in Liverpool earning £55,000 takes home
£3,538/month. With median 1-bed rent of £800/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 23%
(comfortable).
In Newcastle the equivalent ratio is 21%.