DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Bristol vs Manchester
Manchester wins on purchasing power. Manchester devops engineers have £396/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.
Bristol salary
£60,000
£3,780/mo take-home
Manchester salary
£62,000
£3,876/mo take-home
Manchester wins by
+£396
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Manchester
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Manchester retains £396/month more than in Bristol — that's £4,752/year extra in purchasing power.
+£396
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
Manchester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£62,000
Net monthly
£3,876
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,826
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 68 for Manchester, a salary of £60,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £54,400 in Manchester.
Bristol £60,000 ≈
£54,400
in Manchester
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Bristol
47%
Manchester
57%
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Bristol
£2.85
Manchester
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Bristol
£1.90
Manchester
£1.79
Gym membership
Bristol
£41/mo
Manchester
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Bristol
£12.00
Manchester
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Bristol or Manchester? +
Bristol pays a median £60,000 vs £62,000 in Manchester
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Manchester professionals
have £396/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 Manchester? +
In Bristol: gross £60,000 → £3,780/month net take-home.
In Manchester: gross £62,000 → £3,876/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Bristol leaves £2,430/month
vs Manchester's £2,826/month.
What salary in Manchester matches Bristol purchasing power? +
Approximately £54,400 in Manchester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£60,000 in Bristol, based on a cost-of-living index of
75 (Bristol) vs 68 (Manchester).
Is Bristol or Manchester cheaper to live in? +
Manchester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 68 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100).
Rent in Bristol averages £1,350/month (1-bed)
vs £1,050/month in Manchester.
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 Manchester the equivalent ratio is 27%.