I live in York and work in Leeds.

The reason for this is that York has a marginal higher cost of living mainly due to the size of the place, but salaries are pretty poor, and on average are much higher in leeds, which is why hundreds of us crawl down the A64 every morning to be able to afford a decent house etc.

If anything, your boss is talking nonsence, and I suggest you find a differnt employer (but don't try in York, as everyone seems to be pulling out and going elsewhere!!)

Probably doesn't help, but thought I'd put my two pennies in.

Duncs

s_triker:

HI Seth,

The people you need to talk to is ACAS but i do not think they can help you as they can pay what they wish as long as it is the minimum wage. You may have a case if one of your staff is the opposite sex to you and is on more money then you. Then get them on the equal pay act. I agree with the others its about time the workers stood up to these Employers who rake in millions and pay nothing... Up the revolution   Good Luck....

You're right, my colleague contacted ACAS few days ago and he was told that our company can do whatever it wants...The only reason why I asked about the life expenses was the fact, that we want to at least show our manager that he's not entirely right and that he rather should find more intelligent reason for the wage differences...If wa can't do anything else, at least we're going to bother him witch such questions and remarks...probably he'll get so sick of it that he'll put our wages on the same rank :) Thanx all for your answers once again.

HI Seth,

The people you need to talk to is ACAS but i do not think they can help you as they can pay what they wish as long as it is the minimum wage. You may have a case if one of your staff is the opposite sex to you and is on more money then you. Then get them on the equal pay act. I agree with the others its about time the workers stood up to these Employers who rake in millions and pay nothing... Up the revolution   Good Luck....

Hi seth82,

I think your boss is a miser, trying to save money on peoples wages, if you all do the same job then the wages should be the same asks your Union if you have one, or get on the internet and see if you can find out  exactly what wages the York office is making and get intouch with someone who knows the Law on PAYE, maybe the Tax Office, what about the National wage, which most of Britain are supposed to be on, apart from the high earners, and people doing overtime.isnt this office supposed to be paying this to all there workers Sometimes there are offices in some areas that deal with rights in the workplace, sorry I dont know the name of this organisation, I think they set up tribunials, maybe someone else on this site knows who they are. Please let us know how you get on, I am sure you are not the only one this has happened to, I bet there are a lot of people, that dont know that there collegues in diffrent areas are earning more money, no one questions it, or they have and been given the same response, your boss gave you. The cost of living is high everywhere, the whole country is in serious debt, so due to this there should be no favourtisms.

Dave, don't worry mate, you aren't contradicing me at all. My point wasn't whether prices are higher in York than Leeds but whether Seth82's boss had bothered to do a full comparsion and what he had used in that comparison....

Nic, I hate to contradict you, but from experience I can say that the average cost of living in York is higher than Leeds (average house price being one such).  The difference isnt great, but is there.

I dont believe it significant enough however to merit a difference in salary that would result in some1 posting here for advice, so I am with you in challenging the boss. 

Thanx for Your immediate  answer...I believe it will help me :) Have a nice day...

//btw, You were right, I did plenty of searches on internet, but I couldn't find anything specific...but I hope that Your answer is gonna help anyways :)

Hi there. I'm going to assume that you have searched across the internet for such comparisons. I have and there aren't any.

Personally, I think your manager is talking a load of old cobblers. How on earth does he figure that out? Property prices? The cost of a pint of beer in two pubs that are part of the same chain? The price of a loaf of bread in a Tesco branch in York and a Leeds one? The cost of lattes in Starbucks in York & Leeds? Petrol prices at two Esso garages?

The very fact that I can't find any such comparisons, and presumably you can't either, suggests that there are none. It would take an amazing amount of resources for any employer to carry out such internal research and I do not believe for one minute your company has bothered.

March in there and tell him he's "'avin a laff".

Up the workers.

Hi, I’d like to know, if there are any comparison tables where I can compare the costs of living in York vs. costs of living in Leeds. The reason why I’m looking for it is an argument with my manager about my salary, the people working for our company in York are getting paid more then we do in Leeds, when we asked him why, he said that the life expenses in York are much higher then in Leeds...Is it true? I’ll definitely need some facts to find out, who’s right and who’s not. Thank You.