Bristol vs Exeter
Exeter wins on purchasing power. Exeter accountant (qualified)s have £50/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in Exeter retains £50/month more than in Bristol — that's £600/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs Exeter: what the £50/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, Bristol accountant (qualified) roles pay £5,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £2,873/month versus £2,573/month in Exeter.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, Exeter workers have £1,573/month disposable income versus £1,523/month in Bristol — that is £600/year in real spending power.
Exeter's rent-to-income ratio of 39% compares favourably to Bristol's 47%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 70 for Exeter, a salary of £43,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £40,150 in Exeter.
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
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