DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Cardiff vs Manchester
Manchester wins on purchasing power. Manchester devops engineers have £333/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
Cardiff salary
£52,000
£3,393/mo take-home
Manchester salary
£62,000
£3,876/mo take-home
Manchester wins by
+£333
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Manchester
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Manchester retains £333/month more than in Cardiff — that's £3,996/year extra in purchasing power.
+£333
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
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 64 for Cardiff and 68 for Manchester, a salary of £52,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £55,250 in Manchester.
Cardiff £52,000 ≈
£55,250
in Manchester
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Cardiff
57%
Manchester
57%
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Cardiff
£2.43
Manchester
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
Manchester
£1.79
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
Manchester
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
Manchester
£10.88
Financial tools
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Cardiff or Manchester? +
Cardiff pays a median £52,000 vs £62,000 in Manchester
— a gross difference of £10,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Manchester professionals
have £333/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 Manchester? +
In Cardiff: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Manchester: gross £62,000 → £3,876/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,493/month
vs Manchester's £2,826/month.
What salary in Manchester matches Cardiff purchasing power? +
Approximately £55,250 in Manchester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 68 (Manchester).
Is Cardiff or Manchester cheaper to live in? +
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 68 for Manchester (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £1,050/month in Manchester.
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 Manchester the equivalent ratio is 27%.