DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Bristol vs Cardiff

Q: Does a devops engineer earn more in Bristol or Cardiff?

Bristol pays £60,000 vs £52,000 in Cardiff. After living costs, Cardiff professionals have £63/month more disposable income.

Q: What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Bristol vs Cardiff?

In Bristol: £3,780/month net. In Cardiff: £3,393/month net. After rent, Bristol leaves £2,430/month vs Cardiff's £2,493/month.

Q: What salary in Cardiff matches Bristol purchasing power?

Approximately £51,200 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £60,000 in Bristol, based on a COL index of 75 vs 64.

Q: Is Bristol or Cardiff cheaper to live in?

Cardiff is cheaper (COL 64 vs 75). Rent: Bristol £1,350/mo vs Cardiff £900/mo.

Q: What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Bristol?

A devops engineer in Bristol has a rent-to-income ratio of 36% (stretched). In Cardiff the equivalent is 27%.

Cardiff wins on purchasing power. Cardiff devops engineers have £63/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.

Bristol salary

£60,000

£3,780/mo take-home

Cardiff salary

£52,000

£3,393/mo take-home

Cardiff wins by

+£63

per month after rent

Winner on purchasing power

Cardiff

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Cardiff retains £63/month more than in Bristol — that's £756/year extra in purchasing power.

+£63

per month

Bristol

View full breakdown →

Gross salary £60,000

Net monthly £3,780

Rent (1-bed) £1,350

Rent-to-income 36% — Stretched

After rent £2,430

Cardiff

View full breakdown →

Gross salary £52,000

Net monthly £3,393

Rent (1-bed) £900

Rent-to-income 27% — Comfortable

After rent £2,493

Bristol vs Cardiff: what the £63/month gap means for a devops engineer

On paper, Bristol devops engineer roles pay £8,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,780/month versus £3,393/month in Cardiff.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Cardiff workers have £2,493/month disposable income versus £2,430/month in Bristol — that is £756/year in real spending power.

Cardiff's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Bristol's 36%.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category	Bristol	Cardiff	Delta
Rent (1-bed median)	£1,350	£900	-33%
Transport	£80	£50	-37%
Council tax	£148	£132	-11%
Groceries	£285	£255	-11%
Disposable income remaining	£1,781	£1,923	+8%

Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £60,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £51,200 in Cardiff.

Bristol £60,000 ≈

£51,200

in Cardiff

Income retention after all essentials

% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries

Bristol 47%

Cardiff 57%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino

Bristol £2.85

Cardiff £2.43

Transit (single trip)

Bristol £1.90

Cardiff £1.19

Gym membership

Bristol £41/mo

Cardiff £35/mo

Cinema ticket

Bristol £12.00

Cardiff £10.24

Financial tools

Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Bristol or Cardiff? +

Bristol pays a median £60,000 vs £52,000 in Cardiff — a gross difference of £8,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Cardiff professionals have £63/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.

What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Bristol vs Cardiff? +

In Bristol: gross £60,000 → £3,780/month net take-home. In Cardiff: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Bristol leaves £2,430/month vs Cardiff's £2,493/month.

What salary in Cardiff matches Bristol purchasing power? +

Approximately £51,200 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £60,000 in Bristol, based on a cost-of-living index of 75 (Bristol) vs 64 (Cardiff).

Is Bristol or Cardiff cheaper to live in? +

Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100). Rent in Bristol averages £1,350/month (1-bed) vs £900/month in Cardiff.

What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Bristol? +

A devops engineer in Bristol earning £60,000 takes home £3,780/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,350/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 36% (stretched). In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 27%.