Winner on purchasing power
Leeds
After paying rent, a software engineer in Leeds retains
£197/month more than in Edinburgh —
that's £2,364/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£55,000
Net monthly
£3,396
Rent (1-bed)
£1,100
Rent-to-income
32% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,296
Leeds
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£52,000
Net monthly
£3,393
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,493
Edinburgh vs Leeds: what the £197/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Edinburgh software engineer roles pay £3,000/year
more than Leeds. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,396/month versus
£3,393/month in Leeds.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month
versus £900/month in Leeds. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leeds workers have £2,493/month
disposable income versus £2,296/month in Edinburgh —
that is £2,364/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Edinburgh's 32%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Edinburgh |
Leeds |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,100 |
£900 |
-18% |
| Transport |
£62 |
£65 |
+5% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£112 |
-28% |
| Groceries |
£280 |
£270 |
-4% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,669 |
£1,911 |
+14% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh
and 66 for Leeds,
a salary of £55,000 in Edinburgh delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £50,400 in Leeds.
Edinburgh £55,000 ≈
£50,400
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
Cappuccino
Edinburgh
£2.74
Leeds
£2.51
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh
£1.48
Leeds
£1.55
Gym membership
Edinburgh
£40/mo
Leeds
£36/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh
£11.52
Leeds
£10.56
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Edinburgh or Leeds?
+
Edinburgh pays a median £55,000 vs £52,000 in Leeds
— a gross difference of £3,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals
have £197/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Edinburgh vs Leeds?
+
In Edinburgh: gross £55,000 → £3,396/month net take-home.
In Leeds: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,296/month
vs Leeds's £2,493/month.
What salary in Leeds matches Edinburgh purchasing power?
+
Approximately £50,400 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£55,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of
72 (Edinburgh) vs 66 (Leeds).
Is Edinburgh or Leeds cheaper to live in?
+
Leeds is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 66 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Leeds.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Edinburgh?
+
A software engineer in Edinburgh earning £55,000 takes home
£3,396/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,100/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 32%
(comfortable).
In Leeds the equivalent ratio is 27%.