Product Manager · City comparison · 2026

Cardiff vs Edinburgh

Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh product managers have £306/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.

Cardiff salary
£58,000
£3,683/mo take-home
Edinburgh salary
£72,000
£4,189/mo take-home
Edinburgh wins by
+£306
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Edinburgh

After paying rent, a product manager in Edinburgh retains £306/month more than in Cardiff — that's £3,672/year extra in purchasing power.

+£306
per month
Cardiff
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £58,000
Net monthly £3,683
Rent (1-bed) £900
Rent-to-income 24% — Comfortable
After rent £2,783
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £72,000
Net monthly £4,189
Rent (1-bed) £1,100
Rent-to-income 26% — Comfortable
After rent £3,089

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category Cardiff Edinburgh Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £900 £1,100 +22%
Transport £50 £62 +24%
Council tax £132 £155 +17%
Groceries £255 £280 +10%
Disposable income remaining £2,213 £2,462 +11%

Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff and 72 for Edinburgh, a salary of £58,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,250 in Edinburgh.

Cardiff £58,000 ≈
£65,250
in Edinburgh

Income retention after all essentials

% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries

Cardiff 60%
Edinburgh 59%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
Cardiff £2.43
Edinburgh £2.74
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff £1.19
Edinburgh £1.48
Gym membership
Cardiff £35/mo
Edinburgh £40/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff £10.24
Edinburgh £11.52

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Frequently asked questions

Does a product manager earn more in Cardiff or Edinburgh? +
Cardiff pays a median £58,000 vs £72,000 in Edinburgh — a gross difference of £14,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Edinburgh professionals have £306/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a product manager in Cardiff vs Edinburgh? +
In Cardiff: gross £58,000£3,683/month net take-home. In Edinburgh: gross £72,000£4,189/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,783/month vs Edinburgh's £3,089/month.
What salary in Edinburgh matches Cardiff purchasing power? +
Approximately £65,250 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of 64 (Cardiff) vs 72 (Edinburgh).
Is Cardiff or Edinburgh cheaper to live in? +
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100). Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed) vs £1,100/month in Edinburgh.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a product manager in Cardiff? +
A product manager in Cardiff earning £58,000 takes home £3,683/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 24% (comfortable). In Edinburgh the equivalent ratio is 26%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for Cardiff and Edinburgh

Afford Cardiff on £60,000? Afford Edinburgh on £70,000? Salary equivalence: Cardiff → Edinburgh Standard of living: Product Manager in Cardiff Standard of living: Product Manager in Edinburgh