Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a software engineer in Nottingham retains
£149/month more than in Aberdeen —
that's £1,788/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
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£47,000
Net monthly
£3,113
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,263
Aberdeen vs Nottingham: what the £149/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Aberdeen software engineer roles pay £3,000/year
more than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,164/month versus
£3,113/month in Nottingham.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,263/month
disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen —
that is £1,788/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
Nottingham |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£850 |
-19% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£58 |
-3% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£118 |
-20% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£260 |
-9% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,481 |
£1,694 |
+14% |
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 63 for Nottingham,
a salary of £50,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £43,150 in Nottingham.
Aberdeen £50,000 ≈
£43,150
in Nottingham
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
Nottingham
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
Nottingham
£1.38
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Nottingham
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
Nottingham
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Nottingham?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £50,000 vs £47,000 in Nottingham
— a gross difference of £3,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £149/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 Nottingham?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £50,000 → £3,164/month net take-home.
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,114/month
vs Nottingham's £2,263/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £43,150 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is Aberdeen or Nottingham cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £850/month in Nottingham.
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 Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 27%.