Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a project manager in Nottingham retains
£87/month more than in Bristol —
that's £1,044/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£56,000
Net monthly
£3,586
Rent (1-bed)
£1,350
Rent-to-income
38% — Stretched
After rent
£2,236
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,323
Bristol vs Nottingham: what the £87/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Bristol project manager roles pay £8,000/year
more than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Bristol workers keep £3,586/month versus
£3,173/month in Nottingham.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month
versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,323/month
disposable income versus £2,236/month in Bristol —
that is £1,044/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Bristol's 38%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Bristol |
Nottingham |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,350 |
£850 |
-37% |
| Transport |
£80 |
£58 |
-28% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£118 |
-20% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£260 |
-9% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,587 |
£1,754 |
+11% |
Sources: Robert Half 2026 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol
and 63 for Nottingham,
a salary of £56,000 in Bristol delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £47,050 in Nottingham.
Bristol £56,000 ≈
£47,050
in Nottingham
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
Cappuccino
Bristol
£2.85
Nottingham
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Bristol
£1.90
Nottingham
£1.38
Gym membership
Bristol
£41/mo
Nottingham
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Bristol
£12.00
Nottingham
£10.08
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners
Best match
Amex Gold
Earn points on everyday spending
Annual fee: £140
Apply Now
Travel rewards
Barclaycard Avios
Collect Avios on every purchase
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Cashback
Chase UK Cashback
1% cashback, no annual fee
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Frequently asked questions
Does a project manager earn more in Bristol or Nottingham?
+
Bristol pays a median £56,000 vs £48,000 in Nottingham
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £87/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a project manager in Bristol vs Nottingham?
+
In Bristol: gross £56,000 → £3,586/month net take-home.
In Nottingham: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Bristol leaves £2,236/month
vs Nottingham's £2,323/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches Bristol purchasing power?
+
Approximately £47,050 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£56,000 in Bristol, based on a cost-of-living index of
75 (Bristol) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is Bristol or Nottingham cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100).
Rent in Bristol averages £1,350/month (1-bed)
vs £850/month in Nottingham.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a project manager in Bristol?
+
A project manager in Bristol earning £56,000 takes home
£3,586/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,350/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 38%
(stretched).
In Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 27%.