Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield
After paying rent, a software engineer in Sheffield retains
£112/month more than in Glasgow —
that's £1,344/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
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,293
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,468
Glasgow vs Sheffield: what the £112/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Glasgow software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Glasgow workers keep £3,256/month versus
£3,293/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Glasgow rent runs £900/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Sheffield workers have £2,468/month
disposable income versus £2,356/month in Glasgow —
that is £1,344/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Glasgow's 28%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Glasgow |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£825 |
-8% |
| Transport |
£55 |
£65 |
+18% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£126 |
-15% |
| Groceries |
£265 |
£265 |
0% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,758 |
£1,878 |
+7% |
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 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £52,000 in Glasgow delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £52,850 in Sheffield.
Glasgow £52,000 ≈
£52,850
in Sheffield
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
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Glasgow
£1.31
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Glasgow
£34/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Glasgow
£9.92
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Glasgow or Sheffield?
+
Glasgow pays a median £52,000 vs £50,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals
have £112/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 Sheffield?
+
In Glasgow: gross £52,000 → £3,256/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Glasgow leaves £2,356/month
vs Sheffield's £2,468/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Glasgow purchasing power?
+
Approximately £52,850 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Glasgow, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Glasgow) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Glasgow or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Glasgow is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 63 for Sheffield (London = 100).
Rent in Glasgow averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
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 Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 25%.