DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Cardiff vs Leeds
Leeds wins on purchasing power. Leeds devops engineers have £242/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
Cardiff salary
£52,000
£3,393/mo take-home
Leeds salary
£57,000
£3,635/mo take-home
Leeds wins by
+£242
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Leeds
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Leeds retains £242/month more than in Cardiff — that's £2,904/year extra in purchasing power.
+£242
per month
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
Leeds
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£57,000
Net monthly
£3,635
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,735
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff and 66 for Leeds, a salary of £52,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £53,650 in Leeds.
Cardiff £52,000 ≈
£53,650
in Leeds
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Cardiff
57%
Leeds
59%
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Cardiff
£2.43
Leeds
£2.51
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
Leeds
£1.55
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
Leeds
£36/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
Leeds
£10.56
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners
Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Cardiff or Leeds? +
Cardiff pays a median £52,000 vs £57,000 in Leeds
— a gross difference of £5,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leeds professionals
have £242/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a devops engineer in Cardiff vs Leeds? +
In Cardiff: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Leeds: gross £57,000 → £3,635/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,493/month
vs Leeds's £2,735/month.
What salary in Leeds matches Cardiff purchasing power? +
Approximately £53,650 in Leeds delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 66 (Leeds).
Is Cardiff or Leeds cheaper to live in? +
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 66 for Leeds (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Leeds.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a devops engineer in Cardiff? +
A devops engineer in Cardiff earning £52,000 takes home
£3,393/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Leeds the equivalent ratio is 25%.