Winner on purchasing power
Bristol
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Bristol retains
£87/month more than in York —
that's £1,044/year extra in purchasing power.
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
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,293
Rent (1-bed)
£950
Rent-to-income
29% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,343
Bristol vs York: what the £87/month gap means for a devops engineer
On paper, Bristol devops engineer roles pay £10,000/year
more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Bristol workers keep £3,780/month versus
£3,293/month in York.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month
versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in,
Bristol workers have £2,430/month
disposable income versus £2,343/month in York —
that is £1,044/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 36%
compares favourably to York's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Bristol |
York |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,350 |
£950 |
-30% |
| Transport |
£80 |
£68 |
-15% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£120 |
-19% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£270 |
-5% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,781 |
£1,750 |
-2% |
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 68 for York,
a salary of £60,000 in Bristol delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £54,400 in York.
Bristol £60,000 ≈
£54,400
in York
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Bristol
£2.85
York
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Bristol
£1.90
York
£1.62
Gym membership
Bristol
£41/mo
York
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Bristol
£12.00
York
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Bristol or York?
+
Bristol pays a median £60,000 vs £50,000 in York
— a gross difference of £10,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Bristol professionals
have £87/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 York?
+
In Bristol: gross £60,000 → £3,780/month net take-home.
In York: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Bristol leaves £2,430/month
vs York's £2,343/month.
What salary in York matches Bristol purchasing power?
+
Approximately £54,400 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£60,000 in Bristol, based on a cost-of-living index of
75 (Bristol) vs 68 (York).
Is Bristol or York cheaper to live in?
+
York 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 £950/month in York.
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 York the equivalent ratio is 29%.