Winner on purchasing power
Edinburgh
After paying rent, a project manager in Edinburgh retains
£96/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £1,152/year extra in purchasing power.
Cardiff
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
29% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,153
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£54,000
Net monthly
£3,349
Rent (1-bed)
£1,100
Rent-to-income
33% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,249
Cardiff vs Edinburgh: what the £96/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Cardiff project manager roles pay £8,000/year
less than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cardiff workers keep £3,053/month versus
£3,349/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month
versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in,
Edinburgh workers have £2,249/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £1,152/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 33%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
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 |
£1,583 |
£1,622 |
+2% |
Sources: Robert Half 2026 · 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 £46,000 in Cardiff delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £51,750 in Edinburgh.
Cardiff £46,000 ≈
£51,750
in Edinburgh
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
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 project manager earn more in Cardiff or Edinburgh?
+
Cardiff pays a median £46,000 vs £54,000 in Edinburgh
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Edinburgh professionals
have £96/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a project manager in Cardiff vs Edinburgh?
+
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
In Edinburgh: gross £54,000 → £3,349/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,153/month
vs Edinburgh's £2,249/month.
What salary in Edinburgh matches Cardiff purchasing power?
+
Approximately £51,750 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£46,000 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 project manager in Cardiff?
+
A project manager in Cardiff earning £46,000 takes home
£3,053/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 29%
(comfortable).
In Edinburgh the equivalent ratio is 33%.