Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield
After paying rent, a software engineer in Sheffield retains
£135/month more than in Bristol —
that's £1,620/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£58,000
Net monthly
£3,683
Rent (1-bed)
£1,350
Rent-to-income
37% — Stretched
After rent
£2,333
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,293
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,468
Bristol vs Sheffield: what the £135/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Bristol software engineer roles pay £8,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Bristol workers keep £3,683/month versus
£3,293/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Sheffield workers have £2,468/month
disposable income versus £2,333/month in Bristol —
that is £1,620/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Bristol's 37%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Bristol |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,350 |
£825 |
-39% |
| Transport |
£80 |
£65 |
-19% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£126 |
-15% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£265 |
-7% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,684 |
£1,878 |
+12% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £58,000 in Bristol delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £48,700 in Sheffield.
Bristol £58,000 ≈
£48,700
in Sheffield
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
Bristol
£2.85
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Bristol
£1.90
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Bristol
£41/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Bristol
£12.00
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Bristol or Sheffield?
+
Bristol pays a median £58,000 vs £50,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals
have £135/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Bristol vs Sheffield?
+
In Bristol: gross £58,000 → £3,683/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £50,000 → £3,293/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Bristol leaves £2,333/month
vs Sheffield's £2,468/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Bristol purchasing power?
+
Approximately £48,700 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£58,000 in Bristol, based on a cost-of-living index of
75 (Bristol) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Bristol or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100).
Rent in Bristol averages £1,350/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Bristol?
+
A software engineer in Bristol earning £58,000 takes home
£3,683/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,350/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 37%
(stretched).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 25%.