Sheffield vs Aberdeen
Sheffield wins on purchasing power. Sheffield software engineers have £354/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Sheffield retains £354/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £4,248/year extra in purchasing power.
Sheffield vs Aberdeen: what the £354/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Sheffield software engineer roles pay £0/year more than Aberdeen. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Sheffield workers keep £3,293/month versus £3,164/month in Aberdeen.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Sheffield rent runs £825/month versus £1,050/month in Aberdeen. Once housing costs are factored in, Sheffield workers have £2,468/month disposable income versus £2,114/month in Aberdeen — that is £4,248/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 25% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Sheffield delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Sheffield and 73 for Aberdeen, a salary of £50,000 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to £57,950 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
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