Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a software engineer in Nottingham retains
£149/month more than in Aberdeen —
that's £1,788/year extra in purchasing power.
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£47,000
Net monthly
£3,113
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,263
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,164
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
33% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,114
Nottingham vs Aberdeen: what the £149/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Nottingham software engineer roles pay £3,000/year
less than Aberdeen. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,113/month versus
£3,164/month in Aberdeen.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £1,050/month in Aberdeen. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,263/month
disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen —
that is £1,788/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
Aberdeen |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£1,050 |
+24% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£60 |
+3% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£148 |
+25% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£285 |
+10% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,694 |
£1,481 |
-13% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Nottingham
and 73 for Aberdeen,
a salary of £47,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £54,450 in Aberdeen.
Nottingham £47,000 ≈
£54,450
in Aberdeen
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
Nottingham
£2.39
Aberdeen
£2.77
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
Aberdeen
£1.43
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
Aberdeen
£11.68
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Nottingham or Aberdeen?
+
Nottingham pays a median £47,000 vs £50,000 in Aberdeen
— a gross difference of £3,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £149/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Nottingham vs Aberdeen?
+
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
In Aberdeen: gross £50,000 → £3,164/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,263/month
vs Aberdeen's £2,114/month.
What salary in Aberdeen matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £54,450 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£47,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 73 (Aberdeen).
Is Nottingham or Aberdeen cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £1,050/month in Aberdeen.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Nottingham?
+
A software engineer in Nottingham earning £47,000 takes home
£3,113/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Aberdeen the equivalent ratio is 33%.