Winner on purchasing power
Edinburgh
After paying rent, a software engineer in Edinburgh retains
£33/month more than in Nottingham —
that's £396/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
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£55,000
Net monthly
£3,396
Rent (1-bed)
£1,100
Rent-to-income
32% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,296
Nottingham vs Edinburgh: what the £33/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Nottingham software engineer roles pay £8,000/year
less than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,113/month versus
£3,396/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in,
Edinburgh workers have £2,296/month
disposable income versus £2,263/month in Nottingham —
that is £396/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 32%
compares favourably to Nottingham's 27%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
Edinburgh |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£1,100 |
+29% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£62 |
+7% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£155 |
+31% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£280 |
+8% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,694 |
£1,669 |
-1% |
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 72 for Edinburgh,
a salary of £47,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £53,700 in Edinburgh.
Nottingham £47,000 ≈
£53,700
in Edinburgh
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
Edinburgh
£2.74
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
Edinburgh
£1.48
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
Edinburgh
£40/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
Edinburgh
£11.52
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Nottingham or Edinburgh?
+
Nottingham pays a median £47,000 vs £55,000 in Edinburgh
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Edinburgh professionals
have £33/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 Edinburgh?
+
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
In Edinburgh: gross £55,000 → £3,396/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,263/month
vs Edinburgh's £2,296/month.
What salary in Edinburgh matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £53,700 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£47,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 72 (Edinburgh).
Is Nottingham or Edinburgh cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £1,100/month in Edinburgh.
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 Edinburgh the equivalent ratio is 32%.