Winner on purchasing power
Oxford
After paying rent, a software engineer in Oxford retains
£78/month more than in Leicester —
that's £936/year extra in purchasing power.
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,293
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
24% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,493
Oxford
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£65,000
Net monthly
£4,021
Rent (1-bed)
£1,450
Rent-to-income
36% — Stretched
After rent
£2,571
Leicester vs Oxford: what the £78/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Leicester software engineer roles pay £15,000/year
less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Leicester workers keep £3,293/month versus
£4,021/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Leicester rent runs £800/month
versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in,
Oxford workers have £2,571/month
disposable income versus £2,493/month in Leicester —
that is £936/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 36%
compares favourably to Leicester's 24%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Leicester |
Oxford |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£800 |
£1,450 |
+81% |
| Transport |
£62 |
£80 |
+29% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£155 |
+31% |
| Groceries |
£258 |
£300 |
+16% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,922 |
£1,896 |
-1% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Leicester
and 85 for Oxford,
a salary of £50,000 in Leicester delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £67,450 in Oxford.
Leicester £50,000 ≈
£67,450
in Oxford
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
Leicester
£2.39
Oxford
£3.23
Transit (single trip)
Leicester
£1.48
Oxford
£1.90
Gym membership
Leicester
£35/mo
Oxford
£47/mo
Cinema ticket
Leicester
£10.08
Oxford
£13.60
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Leicester or Oxford?
+
Leicester pays a median £50,000 vs £65,000 in Oxford
— a gross difference of £15,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Oxford professionals
have £78/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Leicester vs Oxford?
+
In Leicester: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
In Oxford: gross £65,000 → £4,021/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Leicester leaves £2,493/month
vs Oxford's £2,571/month.
What salary in Oxford matches Leicester purchasing power?
+
Approximately £67,450 in Oxford delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Leicester, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Leicester) vs 85 (Oxford).
Is Leicester or Oxford cheaper to live in?
+
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 85 for Oxford (London = 100).
Rent in Leicester averages £800/month (1-bed)
vs £1,450/month in Oxford.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Leicester?
+
A software engineer in Leicester earning £50,000 takes home
£3,293/month. With median 1-bed rent of £800/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 24%
(comfortable).
In Oxford the equivalent ratio is 36%.