Bristol vs Exeter
Bristol wins on purchasing power. Bristol software engineers have £280/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Bristol retains £280/month more than in Exeter — that's £3,360/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs Exeter: what the £280/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Bristol software engineer roles pay £12,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,683/month versus £3,053/month in Exeter.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, Bristol workers have £2,333/month disposable income versus £2,053/month in Exeter — that is £3,360/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 37% compares favourably to Exeter's 33%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Bristol delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 70 for Exeter, a salary of £58,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £54,150 in Exeter.
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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