Winner on purchasing power
London
After paying rent, a software engineer in London retains
£57/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £684/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
London
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£72,000
Net monthly
£4,360
Rent (1-bed)
£2,150
Rent-to-income
49% — High pressure
After rent
£2,210
Cardiff vs London: what the £57/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Cardiff software engineer roles pay £26,000/year
less than London. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cardiff workers keep £3,053/month versus
£4,360/month in London.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month
versus £2,150/month in London. Once housing costs are factored in,
London workers have £2,210/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £684/year in real spending power.
London's rent-to-income ratio of 49%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cardiff |
London |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£2,150 |
+139% |
| Transport |
£50 |
£185 |
+270% |
| Council tax |
£132 |
£165 |
+25% |
| Groceries |
£255 |
£320 |
+25% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,583 |
£1,398 |
-12% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff
and 100 for London,
a salary of £46,000 in Cardiff delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £71,900 in London.
Cardiff £46,000 ≈
£71,900
in London
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
London
£3.80
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
London
£4.40
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
London
£55/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
London
£16.00
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Cardiff or London?
+
Cardiff pays a median £46,000 vs £72,000 in London
— a gross difference of £26,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, London professionals
have £57/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Cardiff vs London?
+
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
In London: gross £72,000 → £4,360/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,153/month
vs London's £2,210/month.
What salary in London matches Cardiff purchasing power?
+
Approximately £71,900 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£46,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 100 (London).
Is Cardiff or London cheaper to live in?
+
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 100 for London (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £2,150/month in London.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Cardiff?
+
A software engineer 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 London the equivalent ratio is 49%.