Winner on purchasing power
Glasgow
After paying rent, a software engineer in Glasgow retains
£60/month more than in Edinburgh —
that's £720/year extra in purchasing power.
Glasgow
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£52,000
Net monthly
£3,256
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
28% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,356
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
Glasgow vs Edinburgh: what the £60/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Glasgow software engineer roles pay £3,000/year
less than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Glasgow workers keep £3,256/month versus
£3,396/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Glasgow rent runs £900/month
versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in,
Glasgow workers have £2,356/month
disposable income versus £2,296/month in Edinburgh —
that is £720/year in real spending power.
Glasgow's rent-to-income ratio of 28%
compares favourably to Edinburgh's 32%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Glasgow |
Edinburgh |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£1,100 |
+22% |
| Transport |
£55 |
£62 |
+13% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£155 |
+5% |
| Groceries |
£265 |
£280 |
+6% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,758 |
£1,669 |
-5% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Glasgow
and 72 for Edinburgh,
a salary of £52,000 in Glasgow delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £60,400 in Edinburgh.
Glasgow £52,000 ≈
£60,400
in Edinburgh
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
Glasgow
£2.36
Edinburgh
£2.74
Transit (single trip)
Glasgow
£1.31
Edinburgh
£1.48
Gym membership
Glasgow
£34/mo
Edinburgh
£40/mo
Cinema ticket
Glasgow
£9.92
Edinburgh
£11.52
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Glasgow or Edinburgh?
+
Glasgow pays a median £52,000 vs £55,000 in Edinburgh
— a gross difference of £3,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Glasgow professionals
have £60/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Glasgow vs Edinburgh?
+
In Glasgow: gross £52,000 → £3,256/month net take-home.
In Edinburgh: gross £55,000 → £3,396/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Glasgow leaves £2,356/month
vs Edinburgh's £2,296/month.
What salary in Edinburgh matches Glasgow purchasing power?
+
Approximately £60,400 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Glasgow, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Glasgow) vs 72 (Edinburgh).
Is Glasgow or Edinburgh cheaper to live in?
+
Glasgow is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Glasgow averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £1,100/month in Edinburgh.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Glasgow?
+
A software engineer in Glasgow earning £52,000 takes home
£3,256/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 28%
(comfortable).
In Edinburgh the equivalent ratio is 32%.