DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Aberdeen vs Cardiff

Aberdeen wins on purchasing power. Aberdeen devops engineers have £320/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.

Aberdeen salary
£65,000
£3,863/mo take-home
Cardiff salary
£52,000
£3,393/mo take-home
Aberdeen wins by
+£320
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Aberdeen

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Aberdeen retains £320/month more than in Cardiff — that's £3,840/year extra in purchasing power.

+£320
per month
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £65,000
Net monthly £3,863
Rent (1-bed) £1,050
Rent-to-income 27% — Comfortable
After rent £2,813
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

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Aberdeen Cardiff Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £1,050 £900 -14%
Transport £60 £50 -17%
Council tax £148 £132 -11%
Groceries £285 £255 -11%
Disposable income remaining £2,180 £1,923 -12%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £65,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £57,000 in Cardiff.

Aberdeen £65,000 ≈
£57,000
in Cardiff

Income retention after all essentials

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

Aberdeen 56%
Cardiff 57%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Aberdeen £2.77
Cardiff £2.43
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen £1.43
Cardiff £1.19
Gym membership
Aberdeen £40/mo
Cardiff £35/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen £11.68
Cardiff £10.24

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Aberdeen or Cardiff? +
Aberdeen pays a median £65,000 vs £52,000 in Cardiff — a gross difference of £13,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Aberdeen professionals have £320/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Aberdeen vs Cardiff? +
In Aberdeen: gross £65,000£3,863/month net take-home. In Cardiff: gross £52,000£3,393/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,813/month vs Cardiff's £2,493/month.
What salary in Cardiff matches Aberdeen purchasing power? +
Approximately £57,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of 73 (Aberdeen) vs 64 (Cardiff).
Is Aberdeen or Cardiff cheaper to live in? +
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100). Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed) vs £900/month in Cardiff.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Aberdeen? +
A devops engineer in Aberdeen earning £65,000 takes home £3,863/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,050/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 27% (comfortable). In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 27%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Aberdeen and Cardiff

Afford Aberdeen on £65,000? Afford Cardiff on £50,000? Salary equivalence: Aberdeen → Cardiff Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Aberdeen Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Cardiff