Winner on purchasing power
Newcastle
After paying rent, a software engineer in Newcastle retains
£150/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £1,800/year extra in purchasing power.
Newcastle
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£750
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,303
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
Newcastle vs Cardiff: what the £150/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Newcastle software engineer roles pay £0/year
more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Newcastle workers keep £3,053/month versus
£3,053/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Newcastle rent runs £750/month
versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in,
Newcastle workers have £2,303/month
disposable income versus £2,153/month in Cardiff —
that is £1,800/year in real spending power.
Newcastle's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 29%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Newcastle |
Cardiff |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£750 |
£900 |
+20% |
| Transport |
£75 |
£50 |
-33% |
| Council tax |
£112 |
£132 |
+18% |
| Groceries |
£255 |
£255 |
0% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,729 |
£1,583 |
-8% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 61 for Newcastle
and 64 for Cardiff,
a salary of £46,000 in Newcastle delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £48,250 in Cardiff.
Newcastle £46,000 ≈
£48,250
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
Newcastle
£2.32
Cardiff
£2.43
Transit (single trip)
Newcastle
£1.79
Cardiff
£1.19
Gym membership
Newcastle
£34/mo
Cardiff
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Newcastle
£9.76
Cardiff
£10.24
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Newcastle or Cardiff?
+
Newcastle pays a median £46,000 vs £46,000 in Cardiff
— a gross difference of £0.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Newcastle professionals
have £150/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a software engineer in Newcastle vs Cardiff?
+
In Newcastle: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
In Cardiff: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Newcastle leaves £2,303/month
vs Cardiff's £2,153/month.
What salary in Cardiff matches Newcastle purchasing power?
+
Approximately £48,250 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£46,000 in Newcastle, based on a cost-of-living index of
61 (Newcastle) vs 64 (Cardiff).
Is Newcastle or Cardiff cheaper to live in?
+
Newcastle is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 61 vs 64 for Cardiff (London = 100).
Rent in Newcastle averages £750/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Cardiff.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Newcastle?
+
A software engineer in Newcastle earning £46,000 takes home
£3,053/month. With median 1-bed rent of £750/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 25%
(comfortable).
In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 29%.