Salary Equivalence · London → Aberdeen · 2026

What does £40,000 in London
equal in Aberdeen?

Based on cost-of-living indices (London 100 vs Aberdeen 73, London = 100), £40,000 in London has the same purchasing power as approximately £29,200 in Aberdeen. Aberdeen is 27% cheaper overall.

London salary
£40,000
COL index 100
Aberdeen equivalent
£29,200
COL index 73
COL difference
27%
Aberdeen is cheaper
Equivalent purchasing power in Aberdeen
£29,200
= £40,000 in London after cost-of-living adjustment
based on COL index 100 → 73 (London = 100)

Cost Comparison — London vs Aberdeen

Metric London Aberdeen Difference
COL index 100 73 −27 pts
1-bed rent £2,050/mo £1,050/mo −£1,000/mo
Monthly rent saving — — £1,000/mo
Annual rent saving — — £12,000/yr

COL indices from Numbeo 2025 (London = 100). Rent = Rightmove Q4 2025 median for a 1-bed flat.

Relocation Financial Impact

Moving from London to Aberdeen saves £1,000/month on rent alone (£2,050 → £1,050/mo).

£12,000/yr
annual housing saving

You can accept up to 27% salary reduction and maintain your lifestyle. Any offer above £29,200 in Aberdeen is a real-terms pay rise.

Other Salary Points — London → Aberdeen

£35,000 → £25,550 £45,000 → £32,850 £50,000 → £36,500

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Frequently Asked Questions

What salary in Aberdeen matches £40,000 in London? +
£29,200 in Aberdeen provides the same purchasing power as £40,000 in London. This is based on London's COL index of 100 vs Aberdeen's 73 (London = 100, Numbeo 2025). The 27% cost difference translates directly to a 27% lower equivalent salary.
Is Aberdeen significantly cheaper than London? +
Aberdeen is 27% cheaper overall than London. The most visible difference is rent: London averages £2,050/month for a 1-bed flat vs £1,050/month in Aberdeen — a saving of £1,000/month (£12,000/year).
How is the salary equivalence calculated? +
SalaryDex uses city-level cost-of-living indices from Numbeo 2025, normalised so London = 100. The formula is: equivalent = salary × (cityB COL ÷ cityA COL). For this page: £40,000 × (73 ÷ 100) = £29,200. The index captures overall cost differences including rent, food, transport, utilities and services. It does not account for individual tax positions or lifestyle choices.
Should I accept a lower salary to move from London to Aberdeen? +
Financially, yes — up to 27% less. Any offer above £29,200 in Aberdeen is a real-terms pay rise compared to your London salary of £40,000. You'd also save £1,000/month on rent alone, giving you more disposable income despite a lower nominal salary.

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