Aberdeen vs Leeds
Leeds wins on purchasing power. Leeds software engineers have £379/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Leeds retains £379/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £4,548/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen vs Leeds: what the £379/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Aberdeen software engineer roles pay £2,000/year less than Leeds. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,164/month versus £3,393/month in Leeds.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £900/month in Leeds. Once housing costs are factored in, Leeds workers have £2,493/month disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen — that is £4,548/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Leeds 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 66 for Leeds, a salary of £50,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £45,200 in Leeds.
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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