Winner on purchasing power
York
After paying rent, a software engineer in York retains
£70/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £840/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
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£950
Rent-to-income
30% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,223
Cardiff vs York: what the £70/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Cardiff software engineer roles pay £2,000/year
less than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cardiff workers keep £3,053/month versus
£3,173/month in York.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month
versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in,
York workers have £2,223/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £840/year in real spending power.
York's rent-to-income ratio of 30%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cardiff |
York |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£950 |
+6% |
| Transport |
£50 |
£68 |
+36% |
| Council tax |
£132 |
£120 |
-9% |
| Groceries |
£255 |
£270 |
+6% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,583 |
£1,630 |
+3% |
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 68 for York,
a salary of £46,000 in Cardiff delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £48,900 in York.
Cardiff £46,000 ≈
£48,900
in York
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
York
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
York
£1.62
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
York
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
York
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Cardiff or York?
+
Cardiff pays a median £46,000 vs £48,000 in York
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, York professionals
have £70/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 York?
+
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
In York: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,153/month
vs York's £2,223/month.
What salary in York matches Cardiff purchasing power?
+
Approximately £48,900 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£46,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 68 (York).
Is Cardiff or York cheaper to live in?
+
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 68 for York (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £950/month in York.
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 York the equivalent ratio is 30%.