London vs Bristol
London wins on purchasing power. London accountant (qualified)s have £10/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in London retains £10/month more than in Bristol — that's £120/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Bristol: what the £10/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, London accountant (qualified) roles pay £15,000/year more than Bristol. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,873/month in Bristol.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,350/month in Bristol. Once housing costs are factored in, London workers have £1,533/month disposable income versus £1,523/month in Bristol — that is £120/year in real spending power.
London's rent-to-income ratio of 58% compares favourably to Bristol's 47%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 75 for Bristol, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £43,500 in Bristol.
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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