Glasgow vs Aberdeen
Glasgow wins on purchasing power. Glasgow software engineers have £242/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Glasgow retains £242/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £2,904/year extra in purchasing power.
Glasgow vs Aberdeen: what the £242/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Glasgow software engineer roles pay £2,000/year more than Aberdeen. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Glasgow workers keep £3,256/month versus £3,164/month in Aberdeen.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Glasgow rent runs £900/month versus £1,050/month in Aberdeen. Once housing costs are factored in, Glasgow workers have £2,356/month disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen — that is £2,904/year in real spending power.
Glasgow's rent-to-income ratio of 28% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Glasgow delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Glasgow and 73 for Aberdeen, a salary of £52,000 in Glasgow delivers equivalent purchasing power to £61,250 in Aberdeen.
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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