Winner on purchasing power
Oxford
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Oxford retains
£76/month more than in Nottingham —
that's £912/year extra in purchasing power.
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
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
Nottingham vs Oxford: what the £76/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Nottingham devops engineer roles pay £14,000/year
less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,490/month versus
£4,166/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in,
Oxford workers have £2,716/month
disposable income versus £2,640/month in Nottingham —
that is £912/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 35%
compares favourably to Nottingham's 24%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
Oxford |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£1,450 |
+71% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£80 |
+38% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£155 |
+31% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£300 |
+15% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,071 |
£2,041 |
-1% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Nottingham
and 85 for Oxford,
a salary of £54,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £72,850 in Oxford.
Nottingham £54,000 ≈
£72,850
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
Nottingham
£2.39
Oxford
£3.23
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
Oxford
£1.90
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
Oxford
£47/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
Oxford
£13.60
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Nottingham or Oxford?
+
Nottingham pays a median £54,000 vs £68,000 in Oxford
— a gross difference of £14,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Oxford professionals
have £76/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Nottingham vs Oxford?
+
In Nottingham: gross £54,000 → £3,490/month net take-home.
In Oxford: gross £68,000 → £4,166/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,640/month
vs Oxford's £2,716/month.
What salary in Oxford matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £72,850 in Oxford delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£54,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 85 (Oxford).
Is Nottingham or Oxford cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 85 for Oxford (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £1,450/month in Oxford.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Nottingham?
+
A devops engineer in Nottingham earning £54,000 takes home
£3,490/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 24%
(comfortable).
In Oxford the equivalent ratio is 35%.