Winner on purchasing power
Liverpool
After paying rent, a software engineer in Liverpool retains
£125/month more than in Sheffield —
that's £1,500/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
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
Liverpool vs Sheffield: what the £125/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Liverpool software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Liverpool workers keep £3,393/month versus
£3,293/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Liverpool rent runs £800/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Liverpool workers have £2,593/month
disposable income versus £2,468/month in Sheffield —
that is £1,500/year in real spending power.
Liverpool's rent-to-income ratio of 24%
compares favourably to Sheffield's 25%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Liverpool |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£800 |
£825 |
+3% |
| Transport |
£70 |
£65 |
-7% |
| Council tax |
£115 |
£126 |
+10% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£265 |
+2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£2,015 |
£1,878 |
-7% |
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 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £52,000 in Liverpool delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £52,850 in Sheffield.
Liverpool £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
Liverpool
£2.36
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Liverpool
£1.67
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Liverpool
£34/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Liverpool
£9.92
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Liverpool or Sheffield?
+
Liverpool pays a median £52,000 vs £50,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Liverpool professionals
have £125/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 Sheffield?
+
In Liverpool: 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, Liverpool leaves £2,593/month
vs Sheffield's £2,468/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Liverpool purchasing power?
+
Approximately £52,850 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Liverpool, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Liverpool) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Liverpool or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Liverpool is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 63 for Sheffield (London = 100).
Rent in Liverpool averages £800/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
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 Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 25%.