Winner on purchasing power
Liverpool
After paying rent, a software engineer in Liverpool retains
£22/month more than in Oxford —
that's £264/year extra in purchasing power.
Liverpool
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£52,000
Net monthly
£3,393
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
24% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,593
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
Liverpool vs Oxford: what the £22/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Liverpool software engineer roles pay £13,000/year
less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Liverpool workers keep £3,393/month versus
£4,021/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Liverpool rent runs £800/month
versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in,
Liverpool workers have £2,593/month
disposable income versus £2,571/month in Oxford —
that is £264/year in real spending power.
Liverpool's rent-to-income ratio of 24%
compares favourably to Oxford's 36%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Liverpool |
Oxford |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£800 |
£1,450 |
+81% |
| Transport |
£70 |
£80 |
+14% |
| Council tax |
£115 |
£155 |
+35% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£300 |
+15% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,015 |
£1,896 |
-6% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Liverpool
and 85 for Oxford,
a salary of £52,000 in Liverpool delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £71,300 in Oxford.
Liverpool £52,000 ≈
£71,300
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
Liverpool
£2.36
Oxford
£3.23
Transit (single trip)
Liverpool
£1.67
Oxford
£1.90
Gym membership
Liverpool
£34/mo
Oxford
£47/mo
Cinema ticket
Liverpool
£9.92
Oxford
£13.60
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Liverpool or Oxford?
+
Liverpool pays a median £52,000 vs £65,000 in Oxford
— a gross difference of £13,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Liverpool professionals
have £22/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Liverpool vs Oxford?
+
In Liverpool: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Oxford: gross £65,000 → £4,021/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Liverpool leaves £2,593/month
vs Oxford's £2,571/month.
What salary in Oxford matches Liverpool purchasing power?
+
Approximately £71,300 in Oxford delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Liverpool, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Liverpool) vs 85 (Oxford).
Is Liverpool or Oxford cheaper to live in?
+
Liverpool is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 85 for Oxford (London = 100).
Rent in Liverpool averages £800/month (1-bed)
vs £1,450/month in Oxford.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Liverpool?
+
A software engineer in Liverpool earning £52,000 takes home
£3,393/month. With median 1-bed rent of £800/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 24%
(comfortable).
In Oxford the equivalent ratio is 36%.