Winner on purchasing power
Leeds
After paying rent, a software engineer in Leeds retains
£25/month more than in Sheffield —
that's £300/year extra in purchasing power.
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
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
Leeds vs Sheffield: what the £25/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Leeds software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Leeds workers keep £3,393/month versus
£3,293/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Leeds rent runs £900/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leeds workers have £2,493/month
disposable income versus £2,468/month in Sheffield —
that is £300/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Sheffield's 25%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Leeds |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£825 |
-8% |
| Transport |
£65 |
£65 |
0% |
| Council tax |
£112 |
£126 |
+13% |
| Groceries |
£270 |
£265 |
-2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,911 |
£1,878 |
-2% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 66 for Leeds
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £52,000 in Leeds delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £49,650 in Sheffield.
Leeds £52,000 ≈
£49,650
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
Leeds
£2.51
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Leeds
£1.55
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Leeds
£36/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Leeds
£10.56
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Leeds or Sheffield?
+
Leeds pays a median £52,000 vs £50,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals
have £25/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Leeds vs Sheffield?
+
In Leeds: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Leeds leaves £2,493/month
vs Sheffield's £2,468/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Leeds purchasing power?
+
Approximately £49,650 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Leeds, based on a cost-of-living index of
66 (Leeds) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Leeds or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 66 for Leeds (London = 100).
Rent in Leeds averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Leeds?
+
A software engineer in Leeds earning £52,000 takes home
£3,393/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 25%.