Winner on purchasing power
Oxford
After paying rent, a project manager in Oxford retains
£103/month more than in Nottingham —
that's £1,236/year extra in purchasing power.
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,323
Oxford
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£62,000
Net monthly
£3,876
Rent (1-bed)
£1,450
Rent-to-income
37% — Stretched
After rent
£2,426
Nottingham vs Oxford: what the £103/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Nottingham project manager roles pay £14,000/year
less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,173/month versus
£3,876/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 £2,426/month
disposable income versus £2,323/month in Nottingham —
that is £1,236/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 37%
compares favourably to Nottingham's 27%.
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 |
£1,754 |
£1,751 |
0% |
Sources: Robert Half 2026 · 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 £48,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £64,750 in Oxford.
Nottingham £48,000 ≈
£64,750
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 project manager earn more in Nottingham or Oxford?
+
Nottingham pays a median £48,000 vs £62,000 in Oxford
— a gross difference of £14,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Oxford professionals
have £103/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a project manager in Nottingham vs Oxford?
+
In Nottingham: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
In Oxford: gross £62,000 → £3,876/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,323/month
vs Oxford's £2,426/month.
What salary in Oxford matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £64,750 in Oxford delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£48,000 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 project manager in Nottingham?
+
A project manager in Nottingham earning £48,000 takes home
£3,173/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Oxford the equivalent ratio is 37%.