How this calculator works
This calculator uses published UK government data to model what any salary between £15,000 and £200,000 delivers in the ten largest UK cities. Tax calculations follow HMRC 2026/27 rates: Personal Allowance £12,570, basic rate 20%, higher rate 40% above £50,270, additional rate 45% above £125,140, with the Personal Allowance taper creating the 60% effective rate between £100,000 and £125,140. National Insurance follows Class 1 employee rates: 8% between £12,570 and £50,270, then 2% above.
Scottish income tax bands are applied automatically for Edinburgh and Glasgow. City rent figures are from the ONS Price Index of Private Rents (March 2026). Council tax uses each local authority's published Band D rate for 2026/27. Energy uses the Ofgem price cap for April to June 2026 (£1,641 annual for a typical household), adjusted for regional variation.
What "comfortable", "manageable" and "stretched" mean
The verdict is based on what proportion of your take-home pay the essentials of living in your chosen city consume:
- Comfortable: essentials take 50% or less of your net income. You have substantial room for saving, pension contributions, and non-essential spending.
- Manageable: essentials take 50-65% of your net income. Modest savings are possible, but no major buffer.
- Stretched: essentials take more than 65% of your net income. You can survive but with very little room for error, savings, or larger life events.
What counts as essentials
The monthly essentials figure includes rent for a 1-bed flat (or 2-bed for a couple), council tax (with 25% single-person discount where applicable), energy (Ofgem price cap), water, a monthly public transport pass, groceries, and a standard broadband package. It does not include dining out, entertainment, holidays, subscriptions, insurance premiums beyond the basics, pension contributions, or savings.
Browse the full UK salary and city guides
This calculator sits alongside two deeper content clusters:
- What is a good salary in the UK in 2026? — the full 38-band comparison from £15k to £200k with tax thresholds and FAQ.
- UK cost of living 2026 — 10 cities compared with rent, council tax, energy, and required-salary tiers.
- UK money guides — bills, rates, calculators and consumer finance news for 2026.