Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a software engineer in Nottingham retains
£53/month more than in London —
that's £636/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
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
Nottingham vs London: what the £53/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Nottingham software engineer roles pay £25,000/year
less than London. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,113/month versus
£4,360/month in London.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £2,150/month in London. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,263/month
disposable income versus £2,210/month in London —
that is £636/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to London's 49%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
London |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£2,150 |
+153% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£185 |
+219% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£165 |
+40% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£320 |
+23% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,694 |
£1,398 |
-17% |
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 100 for London,
a salary of £47,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £74,600 in London.
Nottingham £47,000 ≈
£74,600
in London
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
London
£3.80
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
London
£4.40
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
London
£55/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
London
£16.00
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Nottingham or London?
+
Nottingham pays a median £47,000 vs £72,000 in London
— a gross difference of £25,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £53/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 London?
+
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
In London: gross £72,000 → £4,360/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,263/month
vs London's £2,210/month.
What salary in London matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £74,600 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£47,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 100 (London).
Is Nottingham or London cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 100 for London (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £2,150/month in London.
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 London the equivalent ratio is 49%.