Edinburgh named UK’s top destination for start-up workers

Edinburgh came first following a study carried out by looking at locations offering the best quality of life for people employed by fledgling firms by taking into account the strength of each city’s start-up ecosystem, the salaries on offer, social security and other benefits, the cost of living and quality of life.

The rankings, produced by Nestpick, an online platform for furnished property rental, also placed Edinburgh 19th overall in a global list of 85 cities, where Singapore took top stop, followed by the Finnish capital Helsinki and San Francisco.

Nestpick highlighted typical entry-level salaries of £26,761 in Edinburgh’s technology sector, rising to £53,119 for more experienced workers.

In the field of marketing, salaries started at £23,303, increasing to £42,462 for those with more experience under their belts. The study also looked at salaries for project managers, which ranged from £23,760 to £61,479.

But despite placing strongly in the overall in the global rankings, the strength of Edinburgh’s start-up sector remained far behind sixth placed London in 34th.

San Francisco topped the global table, closely followed by Berlin.

But Edinburgh performed better than London in the affordability stakes, coming in 42nd place for the cost of living. New York emerged as the least affordable city for start-up employees, followed by London and Reykjavik in Iceland.

Overall, Singapore was calculated as the best place for those looking to work in start-ups. The Asian hub scored well for healthcare and safety and its vibrant start-up scene, boosting career opportunities.

Ömer Kücükdere, managing director of Nestpick, said: “Certain cities may offer bigger pay cheques, but after considering taxes and living expenses, the return may not be so high. Similarly, professionals should consider quality of life – will vacation days be adequate to visit home? Is healthcare as accessible as you would like it to be?”

He added: “We believe that time taken researching potential employers should not overshadow understanding the best cities in which to work. We hope that our study helps those looking to work in start-ups identify the cities which may best suit their needs.”