Bristol vs Cardiff
Bristol wins on purchasing power. Bristol project managers have £83/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
After paying rent, a project manager in Bristol retains £83/month more than in Cardiff — that's £996/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs Cardiff: what the £83/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Bristol project manager roles pay £10,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,586/month versus £3,053/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Bristol workers have £2,236/month disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff — that is £996/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 38% compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £56,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £47,800 in Cardiff.
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
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners