London vs Cardiff
Cardiff wins on purchasing power. Cardiff accountant (qualified)s have £20/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a accountant (qualified) in Cardiff retains £20/month more than in London — that's £240/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Cardiff: what the £20/month gap means for a accountant (qualified)
On paper, London accountant (qualified) roles pay £22,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,453/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Cardiff workers have £1,553/month disposable income versus £1,533/month in London — that is £240/year in real spending power.
Cardiff's rent-to-income ratio of 37% compares favourably to London's 58%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £37,100 in Cardiff.
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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