DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Bristol vs Cardiff
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
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
Popular products for UK earners
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%.