Bristol vs Cambridge
Cambridge wins on purchasing power. Cambridge project managers have £189/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.
After paying rent, a project manager in Cambridge retains £189/month more than in Bristol — that's £2,268/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs Cambridge: what the £189/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Bristol project manager roles pay £7,000/year less than Cambridge. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,586/month versus £3,925/month in Cambridge.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £1,500/month in Cambridge. Once housing costs are factored in, Cambridge workers have £2,425/month disposable income versus £2,236/month in Bristol — that is £2,268/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 38% compares favourably to Bristol's 38%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 87 for Cambridge, a salary of £56,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £64,950 in Cambridge.
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
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