Edinburgh vs Exeter
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh software engineers have £243/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Edinburgh retains £243/month more than in Exeter — that's £2,916/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh vs Exeter: what the £243/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Edinburgh software engineer roles pay £9,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,396/month versus £3,053/month in Exeter.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £2,296/month disposable income versus £2,053/month in Exeter — that is £2,916/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 32% compares favourably to Exeter's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Edinburgh delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh and 70 for Exeter, a salary of £55,000 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £53,450 in Exeter.
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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