UK City Calculators

Explore our city-specific calculator hubs for 10 major UK cities. Each hub provides localised tools for council tax, property costs, salary comparisons, and cost of living calculations tailored to your area. Select your city below to access free, accurate calculators updated for 2025/26.

Why City-Specific Calculators?

Tax rates, property prices, and living costs vary significantly across the UK. A London resident faces different council tax bands, stamp duty considerations, and salary expectations compared to someone in Belfast or Cardiff. Our city calculators use local data to give you the most accurate results for your area.

England

Browse calculators for major English cities, covering council tax, property, and cost of living calculations with locally accurate data.

London Calculators

Council tax across 32 boroughs, London-specific stamp duty rates, salary benchmarks, and cost of living tools for the capital.

Capital City

Manchester Calculators

Local council tax bands, property cost calculators, salary tools, and cost of living estimates for Greater Manchester.

North West

Birmingham Calculators

Council tax for Birmingham City Council, property market tools, salary comparisons, and living cost calculators for the West Midlands.

West Midlands

Leeds Calculators

Leeds council tax bands, property price tools, salary benchmarks, and cost of living calculators for West Yorkshire.

Yorkshire

Liverpool Calculators

Liverpool council tax rates, property calculators, salary tools, and cost of living estimates for Merseyside.

Merseyside

Bristol Calculators

Bristol council tax bands, property market calculators, salary comparisons, and cost of living tools for the South West.

South West

Scotland

Scottish cities use different income tax rates set by the Scottish Parliament. Our Edinburgh and Glasgow calculators apply the correct Scottish tax bands automatically.

Edinburgh Calculators

Scottish income tax rates, Edinburgh council tax, LBTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax), and cost of living tools for Scotland's capital.

Scotland

Glasgow Calculators

Scottish tax bands, Glasgow council tax rates, LBTT calculators, and cost of living comparisons for Scotland's largest city.

Scotland

Wales

Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT) instead of Stamp Duty. Our Cardiff calculators apply Welsh-specific rates and thresholds.

Cardiff Calculators

Welsh income tax, Cardiff council tax bands, Land Transaction Tax (LTT), and cost of living calculators for the Welsh capital.

Wales

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has its own domestic rates system instead of council tax. Our Belfast calculators use the correct local rating system.

Belfast Calculators

Northern Ireland domestic rates, Belfast property tools, salary benchmarks, and cost of living comparisons for Northern Ireland's capital.

Northern Ireland

How Council Tax Varies Across UK Cities

Council tax is set by each local authority and can vary dramatically. Here is a comparison of typical Band D council tax rates across our featured cities:

City	Region	Property Tax System
London	England	Council Tax (varies by borough)
Manchester	England	Council Tax
Birmingham	England	Council Tax
Leeds	England	Council Tax
Liverpool	England	Council Tax
Bristol	England	Council Tax
Edinburgh	Scotland	Council Tax (Scottish bands)
Glasgow	Scotland	Council Tax (Scottish bands)
Cardiff	Wales	Council Tax (Welsh bands A-I)
Belfast	Northern Ireland	Domestic Rates

Note: England and Scotland use bands A-H, Wales uses bands A-I, and Northern Ireland uses a capital value-based domestic rates system rather than council tax.

City Calculator FAQs

Which UK cities have local calculator tools?

UK Calculator provides city-specific tools for 10 major cities: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol, Leeds, and Liverpool. Each city hub includes council tax, cost of living, property, and salary calculators tailored to local rates and data.

Why do council tax rates vary by city?

Council tax rates vary because each local authority sets its own rate based on funding needs, government grants, and local spending requirements. Rates are applied to property bands (A-H in England and Scotland, A-I in Wales) based on 1991 property valuations (2003 in Wales). Northern Ireland uses a different domestic rates system based on capital values.

How do living costs compare across UK cities?

London is the most expensive UK city, with housing costs around 2-3 times higher than cities like Belfast or Cardiff. Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds offer lower costs of living while still providing major city amenities. Scottish cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow have different income tax bands set by the Scottish Parliament.

Do Scottish cities use different tax rates?

Yes. Edinburgh and Glasgow use Scottish income tax rates set by the Scottish Parliament, which differ from the rest of the UK. Scotland has five income tax bands (starter 19%, basic 20%, intermediate 21%, higher 42%, top 47%) compared to England's three bands. Our Scottish city calculators automatically apply the correct rates.

Related Resources

Explore more calculators and category hubs:

UK Calculator Local Data Team

Our city-specific calculators use official local authority data, ONS statistics, and HMRC rates to provide the most accurate localised calculations. All tools are updated regularly to reflect the latest council tax rates and regional data.

Last reviewed: February 2026 | Next review: April 2026

Why City-Specific Calculators Matter: Understanding Local Differences

The United Kingdom is not a financially homogeneous country. Tax rates, property costs, council tax bands, living expenses, and employment conditions vary dramatically between cities and regions. A salary of £35,000 delivers a very different quality of life in Belfast compared to London, and the tax implications of earning that salary differ between Edinburgh and Birmingham. City-specific calculators account for these local variations to give you results that genuinely reflect your circumstances.

Council tax is perhaps the most visibly local tax in the UK. Each of the 300+ billing authorities in England sets its own council tax rate based on its spending requirements and central government funding. A Band D property in Westminster might attract a council tax bill of around £950 per year, while the same band in Nottingham could be over £2,200 -- a difference of more than £1,200 for equivalent properties. Scottish council tax operates on the same A-H banding system but with rates set by 32 Scottish local authorities. Welsh councils use an extended A-I banding system based on 2003 valuations (rather than 1991 as in England and Scotland). Northern Ireland uses a completely different domestic rates system based on capital values assessed by Land and Property Services.

Property prices create the starkest regional divide. The average property price in London exceeds £530,000, while in Liverpool it sits around £175,000 and in Belfast approximately £185,000. This affects stamp duty calculations, mortgage affordability, deposit requirements, and rental yields. Our city calculators pre-load local average property data to give you immediately relevant starting points for your calculations. Stamp duty itself differs by nation -- England and Northern Ireland use SDLT, Scotland uses LBTT with different thresholds, and Wales uses LTT with its own rate structure.

Income tax varies for Scottish residents who pay Scottish income tax rates set by the Scottish Parliament. With five bands (including a 19% starter rate and 48% top rate), Scottish taxpayers in Edinburgh and Glasgow face a different calculation than those in Manchester or London. Our Scottish city calculators automatically apply these rates, while English, Welsh, and Northern Irish city calculators use the standard UK rates. National Insurance rates remain consistent across the UK, but the interaction between Scottish income tax and UK-wide NI creates unique effective marginal rates for Scottish earners.

Cost of living comparisons between cities are essential for career decisions, relocation planning, and understanding your real purchasing power. London's higher salaries are often offset by housing costs that are two to three times higher than northern cities. Manchester and Birmingham offer a growing professional services sector with lower living costs, while Bristol combines South West quality of life with competitive salaries. Our city calculators factor in these local variations to show you what your income truly means in each location.

How to Use City Calculator Hubs

Getting the most from our city calculators is straightforward. Start by selecting your city from the grid above -- each city hub contains a curated set of calculators with locally relevant data pre-loaded. Here are some tips for common use cases:

Salary comparison: Use city calculators when comparing job offers in different locations. Enter the same gross salary in two city hubs to see how take-home pay, council tax, and estimated living costs compare. A £45,000 salary in Manchester leaves you with significantly more disposable income than the same salary in London after housing and council tax.

Relocation planning: If you are moving between cities, use the destination city hub to estimate your new council tax band, property costs, and adjusted living expenses. Pay particular attention to Edinburgh and Glasgow hubs if moving to Scotland, as your income tax calculation will change to Scottish rates.

Property investment: Compare rental yields across different cities using each hub's property tools. Northern cities typically offer higher gross yields (6-8%) compared to London (4-5%), but factor in local void rates, management costs, and capital growth expectations. Each city hub provides local context for these calculations.

Student budgeting: Students studying away from home can use city calculators to plan their budgets based on local living costs. University cities like Leeds, Bristol, and Edinburgh have different rental markets and expense profiles that affect how far maintenance loans stretch.

City Calculator FAQs

How are council tax bands determined for properties?

In England and Scotland, council tax bands are based on the estimated value of your property as of 1 April 1991, regardless of current market value. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) assigns bands from A (lowest value) to H (highest). In Wales, bands A to I are based on 2003 property valuations. New-build properties are assigned a band based on what the VOA estimates they would have been worth in 1991 (or 2003 for Wales). You can challenge your council tax band if you believe it is incorrect by contacting the VOA. Northern Ireland uses a different system entirely -- domestic rates are based on the capital value of the property as assessed by Land and Property Services, multiplied by a rate set by the district council and the regional rate set by the Northern Ireland Assembly. This is why our Belfast calculator uses a different calculation method from the rest of the UK.

Which UK city has the lowest cost of living?

Among the 10 major cities covered by our calculators, Belfast and Liverpool generally offer the lowest overall cost of living, primarily due to lower housing costs. Belfast average rents are approximately 55-60% lower than London, with property prices also significantly below the national average. Liverpool offers similar affordability with average rents around 60% below London levels. However, "lowest cost" depends on what you measure -- Glasgow has lower council tax than many English cities, while Cardiff benefits from Wales's higher stamp duty nil-rate band of £225,000. Leeds and Manchester fall in the mid-range, offering major city amenities at costs well below London but higher than Belfast or Liverpool. Edinburgh, while cheaper than London, is Scotland's most expensive city, particularly for property. Use our city calculators to build a complete picture comparing the specific costs that matter to your situation.

Do London residents pay additional taxes compared to other English cities?

London residents do not pay different income tax or NI rates compared to other English residents. However, their council tax includes a Greater London Authority (GLA) precept set by the Mayor of London, which funds Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police, and London Fire Brigade. Individual borough rates vary enormously -- Westminster has one of the lowest Band D rates in the country while some outer boroughs charge considerably more. Property transactions in London are disproportionately affected by stamp duty due to higher prices; the average London property attracts significantly more SDLT than properties elsewhere. London employees may also face higher commuting costs and the Congestion Charge zone. Our London calculator hub accounts for all these factors when helping you plan your finances in the capital.

Will you add more cities to the calculator hubs?

We currently cover 10 major UK cities representing all four nations and key regions. We are actively developing hubs for additional cities based on user demand. Cities under consideration include Nottingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Brighton, Cambridge, and Oxford. Each new hub requires sourcing accurate local data for council tax, property prices, rental markets, and cost of living indicators. If you would like to see a specific city added, please contact us through our contact page. In the meantime, our national calculators apply UK-wide rates that are accurate for any location, and our category hubs provide comprehensive tools regardless of where you live.

How accurate is the local data used in city calculators?

Our city calculators use data from official government sources including local authority published council tax schedules, Office for National Statistics (ONS) house price indices and earnings data, HMRC property transaction statistics, and Land Registry sold price records. Council tax rates are updated each April when authorities publish their new charges. Property data is refreshed quarterly using the latest ONS and Land Registry releases. Cost of living indicators use ONS Consumer Price Index breakdowns by region. For Scottish cities, income tax calculations use the rates published by Revenue Scotland and the Scottish Government. We verify all local data against primary sources and note the data vintage on each city hub page so you know exactly how current the information is.

Explore Related Calculator Hubs

City calculators complement our main category hubs. Use these links to access specialist tools for tax, property, finance, and more across the entire UK.