Winner on purchasing power
Newcastle
After paying rent, a software engineer in Newcastle retains
£189/month more than in Aberdeen —
that's £2,268/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,164
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
33% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,114
Newcastle
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£750
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,303
Aberdeen vs Newcastle: what the £189/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Aberdeen software engineer roles pay £4,000/year
more than Newcastle. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,164/month versus
£3,053/month in Newcastle.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £750/month in Newcastle. Once housing costs are factored in,
Newcastle workers have £2,303/month
disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen —
that is £2,268/year in real spending power.
Newcastle's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
Newcastle |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£750 |
-29% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£75 |
+25% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£112 |
-24% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£255 |
-11% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,481 |
£1,729 |
+17% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen
and 61 for Newcastle,
a salary of £50,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £41,800 in Newcastle.
Aberdeen £50,000 ≈
£41,800
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
Aberdeen
£2.77
Newcastle
£2.32
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
Newcastle
£1.79
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Newcastle
£34/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
Newcastle
£9.76
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners
Best match
Amex Gold
Earn points on everyday spending
Annual fee: £140
Apply Now
Travel rewards
Barclaycard Avios
Collect Avios on every purchase
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Cashback
Chase UK Cashback
1% cashback, no annual fee
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Newcastle?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £50,000 vs £46,000 in Newcastle
— a gross difference of £4,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Newcastle professionals
have £189/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Aberdeen vs Newcastle?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £50,000 → £3,164/month net take-home.
In Newcastle: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,114/month
vs Newcastle's £2,303/month.
What salary in Newcastle matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £41,800 in Newcastle delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 61 (Newcastle).
Is Aberdeen or Newcastle cheaper to live in?
+
Newcastle is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 61 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £750/month in Newcastle.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Aberdeen?
+
A software engineer in Aberdeen earning £50,000 takes home
£3,164/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,050/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 33%
(comfortable).
In Newcastle the equivalent ratio is 25%.