Bristol vs Oxford
Oxford wins on purchasing power. Oxford software engineers have £238/month more disposable income after rent than their Bristol counterparts.
After paying rent, a software engineer in Oxford retains £238/month more than in Bristol — that's £2,856/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs Oxford: what the £238/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Bristol software engineer roles pay £7,000/year less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,683/month versus £4,021/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in, Oxford workers have £2,571/month disposable income versus £2,333/month in Bristol — that is £2,856/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 36% compares favourably to Bristol's 37%.
For software engineers prioritising financial freedom, Oxford 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 85 for Oxford, a salary of £58,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,750 in Oxford.
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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