I was also astounded at how little the salary gap was once you accounted for everything. I took a job working from home for £18,000pa less than I was earning in London. By the time you had taken 40% tax off, £4,900pa for a season ticket, about £6 per day on coffee and paper for boring train (£1,500pa) and another £6 odd for bought lunch (£1,500pa) it worked out at about £3,000 better off per year but in exchange I got an extra 4.5 hours per day at home and an infinitely better work / life balance