Aberdeen vs Glasgow
Glasgow wins on purchasing power. Glasgow software engineers have £242/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Glasgow retains £242/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £2,904/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen vs Glasgow: what the £242/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Aberdeen software engineer roles pay £2,000/year less than Glasgow. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,164/month versus £3,256/month in Glasgow.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £900/month in Glasgow. Once housing costs are factored in, Glasgow workers have £2,356/month disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen — that is £2,904/year in real spending power.
Glasgow's rent-to-income ratio of 28% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Glasgow delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 62 for Glasgow, a salary of £50,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £42,450 in Glasgow.
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
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