Winner on purchasing power
Leeds
After paying rent, a software engineer in Leeds retains
£25/month more than in Sheffield —
that's £300/year extra in purchasing power.
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
Leeds
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£52,000
Net monthly
£3,393
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,493
Sheffield vs Leeds: what the £25/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Sheffield software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
less than Leeds. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Sheffield workers keep £3,293/month versus
£3,393/month in Leeds.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Sheffield rent runs £825/month
versus £900/month in Leeds. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leeds workers have £2,493/month
disposable income versus £2,468/month in Sheffield —
that is £300/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Sheffield's 25%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Sheffield |
Leeds |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£825 |
£900 |
+9% |
| Transport |
£65 |
£65 |
0% |
| Council tax |
£126 |
£112 |
-11% |
| Groceries |
£265 |
£270 |
+2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,878 |
£1,911 |
+2% |
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 Sheffield
and 66 for Leeds,
a salary of £50,000 in Sheffield delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £52,400 in Leeds.
Sheffield £50,000 ≈
£52,400
in Leeds
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
Sheffield
£2.39
Leeds
£2.51
Transit (single trip)
Sheffield
£1.55
Leeds
£1.55
Gym membership
Sheffield
£35/mo
Leeds
£36/mo
Cinema ticket
Sheffield
£10.08
Leeds
£10.56
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Sheffield or Leeds?
+
Sheffield pays a median £50,000 vs £52,000 in Leeds
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals
have £25/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Sheffield vs Leeds?
+
In Sheffield: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
In Leeds: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Sheffield leaves £2,468/month
vs Leeds's £2,493/month.
What salary in Leeds matches Sheffield purchasing power?
+
Approximately £52,400 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Sheffield, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Sheffield) vs 66 (Leeds).
Is Sheffield or Leeds cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 66 for Leeds (London = 100).
Rent in Sheffield averages £825/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Leeds.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Sheffield?
+
A software engineer in Sheffield earning £50,000 takes home
£3,293/month. With median 1-bed rent of £825/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 25%
(comfortable).
In Leeds the equivalent ratio is 27%.