Estimated better option after listed costs—

How to compare two job offers

The calculator estimates annual take-home pay for each option using broad Income Tax, employee National Insurance, pension and student loan assumptions. It then subtracts annual travel or work costs so you can compare the practical difference, not only the headline salary.

Estimate only: real payslips can differ because of tax codes, payroll timing, pension scheme rules, salary sacrifice, benefits, bonuses, student loan notices, location, expenses and employer rounding.

Gross pay is not the whole offer

A higher salary may come with higher travel costs, fewer remote days, different pension contributions, bonus uncertainty or extra unpaid time.

Use realistic costs

Include commuting, parking, train fares, fuel, lunches, childcare changes or required office days where they materially affect the monthly budget.

Compare one change at a time

If salary, pension and costs all change, adjust one assumption at a time to see what is driving the difference.

Worked comparison example

A job that pays £7,000 more will not usually add £7,000 to take-home pay. Tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan deductions reduce the difference, and commuting or office costs can reduce it again. Compare the money left after all of those costs, not just the salary.

For a final decision, also consider benefits that are hard to price: pension matching, sick pay, flexibility, training, commute time, job security, progression and whether bonuses are guaranteed or discretionary.

Good scenarios to run

Run a base comparison first, then test a realistic version of each uncertainty. For example, compare one version with current commuting costs, one with higher office days, and one with a different pension percentage. If a role has a discretionary bonus, keep that outside the guaranteed comparison unless you have a reliable expected value.

The comparison matters most when the higher-paid role also has higher costs, weaker pension contributions, more office travel or different student loan deductions. Money is only part of an offer, so weigh the result alongside flexibility, time, security and progression.