Winner on purchasing power
York
After paying rent, a software engineer in York retains
£109/month more than in Aberdeen —
that's £1,308/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
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£950
Rent-to-income
30% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,223
Aberdeen vs York: what the £109/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Aberdeen software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,164/month versus
£3,173/month in York.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in,
York workers have £2,223/month
disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen —
that is £1,308/year in real spending power.
York's rent-to-income ratio of 30%
compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
York |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£950 |
-10% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£68 |
+13% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£120 |
-19% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£270 |
-5% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,481 |
£1,630 |
+10% |
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 68 for York,
a salary of £50,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £46,600 in York.
Aberdeen £50,000 ≈
£46,600
in York
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
York
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
York
£1.62
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
York
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
York
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Aberdeen or York?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £50,000 vs £48,000 in York
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, York professionals
have £109/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 York?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £50,000 → £3,164/month net take-home.
In York: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,114/month
vs York's £2,223/month.
What salary in York matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £46,600 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 68 (York).
Is Aberdeen or York cheaper to live in?
+
York is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 68 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £950/month in York.
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 York the equivalent ratio is 30%.