Winner on purchasing power
Glasgow
After paying rent, a software engineer in Glasgow retains
£146/month more than in London —
that's £1,752/year extra in purchasing power.
London
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£72,000
Net monthly
£4,360
Rent (1-bed)
£2,150
Rent-to-income
49% — High pressure
After rent
£2,210
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
London vs Glasgow: what the £146/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, London software engineer roles pay £20,000/year
more than Glasgow. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — London workers keep £4,360/month versus
£3,256/month in Glasgow.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month
versus £900/month in Glasgow. Once housing costs are factored in,
Glasgow workers have £2,356/month
disposable income versus £2,210/month in London —
that is £1,752/year in real spending power.
Glasgow's rent-to-income ratio of 28%
compares favourably to London's 49%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
London |
Glasgow |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£2,150 |
£900 |
-58% |
| Transport |
£185 |
£55 |
-70% |
| Council tax |
£165 |
£148 |
-10% |
| Groceries |
£320 |
£265 |
-17% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,398 |
£1,758 |
+26% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London
and 62 for Glasgow,
a salary of £72,000 in London delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £44,650 in Glasgow.
London £72,000 ≈
£44,650
in Glasgow
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
London
£3.80
Glasgow
£2.36
Transit (single trip)
London
£4.40
Glasgow
£1.31
Gym membership
London
£55/mo
Glasgow
£34/mo
Cinema ticket
London
£16.00
Glasgow
£9.92
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in London or Glasgow?
+
London pays a median £72,000 vs £52,000 in Glasgow
— a gross difference of £20,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Glasgow professionals
have £146/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in London vs Glasgow?
+
In London: gross £72,000 → £4,360/month net take-home.
In Glasgow: gross £52,000 → £3,256/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, London leaves £2,210/month
vs Glasgow's £2,356/month.
What salary in Glasgow matches London purchasing power?
+
Approximately £44,650 in Glasgow delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£72,000 in London, based on a cost-of-living index of
100 (London) vs 62 (Glasgow).
Is London or Glasgow cheaper to live in?
+
Glasgow is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 100 for London (London = 100).
Rent in London averages £2,150/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Glasgow.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in London?
+
A software engineer in London earning £72,000 takes home
£4,360/month. With median 1-bed rent of £2,150/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 49%
(high pressure).
In Glasgow the equivalent ratio is 28%.