Winner on purchasing power
Edinburgh
After paying rent, a software engineer in Edinburgh retains
£143/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £1,716/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£55,000
Net monthly
£3,396
Rent (1-bed)
£1,100
Rent-to-income
32% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,296
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
Edinburgh vs Cardiff: what the £143/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Edinburgh software engineer roles pay £9,000/year
more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,396/month versus
£3,053/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month
versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in,
Edinburgh workers have £2,296/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £1,716/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 32%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Edinburgh |
Cardiff |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,100 |
£900 |
-18% |
| Transport |
£62 |
£50 |
-19% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£132 |
-15% |
| Groceries |
£280 |
£255 |
-9% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,669 |
£1,583 |
-5% |
Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh
and 64 for Cardiff,
a salary of £55,000 in Edinburgh delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £48,900 in Cardiff.
Edinburgh £55,000 ≈
£48,900
in Cardiff
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
Edinburgh
£2.74
Cardiff
£2.43
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh
£1.48
Cardiff
£1.19
Gym membership
Edinburgh
£40/mo
Cardiff
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh
£11.52
Cardiff
£10.24
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Edinburgh or Cardiff?
+
Edinburgh pays a median £55,000 vs £46,000 in Cardiff
— a gross difference of £9,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Edinburgh professionals
have £143/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Edinburgh vs Cardiff?
+
In Edinburgh: gross £55,000 → £3,396/month net take-home.
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,296/month
vs Cardiff's £2,153/month.
What salary in Cardiff matches Edinburgh purchasing power?
+
Approximately £48,900 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£55,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of
72 (Edinburgh) vs 64 (Cardiff).
Is Edinburgh or Cardiff cheaper to live in?
+
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Cardiff.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Edinburgh?
+
A software engineer in Edinburgh earning £55,000 takes home
£3,396/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,100/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 32%
(comfortable).
In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 29%.