DevOps Engineer · City comparison · 2026
Cardiff vs Sheffield
Sheffield wins on purchasing power. Sheffield devops engineers have £220/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
Cardiff salary
£52,000
£3,393/mo take-home
Sheffield salary
£55,000
£3,538/mo take-home
Sheffield wins by
+£220
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield
After paying rent, a devops engineer in Sheffield retains £220/month more than in Cardiff — that's £2,640/year extra in purchasing power.
+£220
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
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£55,000
Net monthly
£3,538
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
23% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,713
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff and 63 for Sheffield, a salary of £52,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £51,200 in Sheffield.
Cardiff £52,000 ≈
£51,200
in Sheffield
Income retention after all essentials
% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries
Cardiff
57%
Sheffield
60%
Everyday costs
Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025
Cappuccino
Cardiff
£2.43
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
Sheffield
£10.08
Financial tools
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Frequently asked questions
Does a devops engineer earn more in Cardiff or Sheffield? +
Cardiff pays a median £52,000 vs £55,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £3,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals
have £220/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 Sheffield? +
In Cardiff: gross £52,000 → £3,393/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £55,000 → £3,538/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,493/month
vs Sheffield's £2,713/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Cardiff purchasing power? +
Approximately £51,200 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£52,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Cardiff or Sheffield cheaper to live in? +
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 64 for Cardiff (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
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 Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 23%.