London vs Cardiff
Cardiff wins on purchasing power. Cardiff project managers have £282/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a project manager in Cardiff retains £282/month more than in London — that's £3,384/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Cardiff: what the £282/month gap means for a project manager
On paper, London project manager roles pay £19,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,021/month versus £3,053/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Cardiff workers have £2,153/month disposable income versus £1,871/month in London — that is £3,384/year in real spending power.
Cardiff's rent-to-income ratio of 29% compares favourably to London's 53%.
For project managers prioritising financial freedom, Cardiff delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £65,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £41,600 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
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