Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a project manager in Nottingham retains
£170/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £2,040/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
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
Cardiff vs Nottingham: what the £170/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, Cardiff project manager roles pay £2,000/year
less than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cardiff workers keep £3,053/month versus
£3,173/month in Nottingham.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month
versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,323/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £2,040/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cardiff |
Nottingham |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£850 |
-6% |
| Transport |
£50 |
£58 |
+16% |
| Council tax |
£132 |
£118 |
-11% |
| Groceries |
£255 |
£260 |
+2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,583 |
£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 64 for Cardiff
and 63 for Nottingham,
a salary of £46,000 in Cardiff delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £45,300 in Nottingham.
Cardiff £46,000 ≈
£45,300
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
Cardiff
£2.43
Nottingham
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
Nottingham
£1.38
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
Nottingham
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
Nottingham
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a project manager earn more in Cardiff or Nottingham?
+
Cardiff pays a median £46,000 vs £48,000 in Nottingham
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £170/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 Nottingham?
+
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
In Nottingham: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,153/month
vs Nottingham's £2,323/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches Cardiff purchasing power?
+
Approximately £45,300 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£46,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is Cardiff or Nottingham cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 64 for Cardiff (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £850/month in Nottingham.
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 Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 27%.