DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026

Birmingham vs Bristol

Birmingham wins on purchasing power. Birmingham devops engineers have £403/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.

Birmingham salary
£58,000
£3,683/mo take-home
Bristol salary
£60,000
£3,780/mo take-home
Birmingham wins by
+£403
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Birmingham

After paying rent, a devops engineer in Birmingham retains £403/month more than in Bristol — that's £4,836/year extra in purchasing power.

+£403
per month
Birmingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £58,000
Net monthly £3,683
Rent (1-bed) £850
Rent-to-income 23% — Comfortable
After rent £2,833
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

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Birmingham Bristol Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £850 £1,350 +59%
Transport £65 £80 +23%
Council tax £118 £148 +25%
Groceries £265 £285 +8%
Disposable income remaining £2,245 £1,781 -21%

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

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 65 for Birmingham and 75 for Bristol, a salary of £58,000 in Birmingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to £66,900 in Bristol.

Birmingham £58,000 ≈
£66,900
in Bristol

Income retention after all essentials

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

Birmingham 61%
Bristol 47%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Birmingham £2.47
Bristol £2.85
Transit (single trip)
Birmingham £1.55
Bristol £1.90
Gym membership
Birmingham £36/mo
Bristol £41/mo
Cinema ticket
Birmingham £10.40
Bristol £12.00

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Frequently asked questions

Does a devops engineer earn more in Birmingham or Bristol? +
Birmingham pays a median £58,000 vs £60,000 in Bristol — a gross difference of £2,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Birmingham professionals have £403/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Birmingham vs Bristol? +
In Birmingham: gross £58,000£3,683/month net take-home. In Bristol: gross £60,000£3,780/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Birmingham leaves £2,833/month vs Bristol's £2,430/month.
What salary in Bristol matches Birmingham purchasing power? +
Approximately £66,900 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,000 in Birmingham, based on a cost-of-living index of 65 (Birmingham) vs 75 (Bristol).
Is Birmingham or Bristol cheaper to live in? +
Birmingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 65 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100). Rent in Birmingham averages £850/month (1-bed) vs £1,350/month in Bristol.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Birmingham? +
A devops engineer in Birmingham earning £58,000 takes home £3,683/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 23% (comfortable). In Bristol the equivalent ratio is 36%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Birmingham and Bristol

Afford Birmingham on £60,000? Afford Bristol on £60,000? Salary equivalence: Birmingham → Bristol Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Birmingham Standard of living: DevOps Engineer in Bristol