Winner on purchasing power
Oxford
After paying rent, a software engineer in Oxford retains
£103/month more than in Sheffield —
that's £1,236/year extra in purchasing power.
Oxford
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£65,000
Net monthly
£4,021
Rent (1-bed)
£1,450
Rent-to-income
36% — Stretched
After rent
£2,571
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
Oxford vs Sheffield: what the £103/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Oxford software engineer roles pay £15,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Oxford workers keep £4,021/month versus
£3,293/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Oxford rent runs £1,450/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Oxford workers have £2,571/month
disposable income versus £2,468/month in Sheffield —
that is £1,236/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 36%
compares favourably to Sheffield's 25%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Oxford |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,450 |
£825 |
-43% |
| Transport |
£80 |
£65 |
-19% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£126 |
-19% |
| Groceries |
£300 |
£265 |
-12% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,896 |
£1,878 |
-1% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 85 for Oxford
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £65,000 in Oxford delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £48,200 in Sheffield.
Oxford £65,000 ≈
£48,200
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
Oxford
£3.23
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Oxford
£1.90
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Oxford
£47/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Oxford
£13.60
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Oxford or Sheffield?
+
Oxford pays a median £65,000 vs £50,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £15,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Oxford professionals
have £103/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Oxford vs Sheffield?
+
In Oxford: gross £65,000 → £4,021/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Oxford leaves £2,571/month
vs Sheffield's £2,468/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Oxford purchasing power?
+
Approximately £48,200 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£65,000 in Oxford, based on a cost-of-living index of
85 (Oxford) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Oxford or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 85 for Oxford (London = 100).
Rent in Oxford averages £1,450/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Oxford?
+
A software engineer in Oxford earning £65,000 takes home
£4,021/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,450/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 36%
(stretched).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 25%.