Winner on purchasing power
Bristol
After paying rent, a software engineer in Bristol retains
£70/month more than in Nottingham —
that's £840/year extra in purchasing power.
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£47,000
Net monthly
£3,113
Rent (1-bed)
£850
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,263
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
Nottingham vs Bristol: what the £70/month gap means for a software engineer
On paper, Nottingham software engineer roles pay £11,000/year
less than Bristol. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,113/month versus
£3,683/month in Bristol.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £1,350/month in Bristol. Once housing costs are factored in,
Bristol workers have £2,333/month
disposable income versus £2,263/month in Nottingham —
that is £840/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 37%
compares favourably to Nottingham's 27%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
Bristol |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£1,350 |
+59% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£80 |
+38% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£148 |
+25% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£285 |
+10% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,694 |
£1,684 |
-1% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Nottingham
and 75 for Bristol,
a salary of £47,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £55,950 in Bristol.
Nottingham £47,000 ≈
£55,950
in Bristol
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
Nottingham
£2.39
Bristol
£2.85
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
Bristol
£1.90
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
Bristol
£41/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
Bristol
£12.00
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Frequently asked questions
Does a software engineer earn more in Nottingham or Bristol?
+
Nottingham pays a median £47,000 vs £58,000 in Bristol
— a gross difference of £11,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Bristol 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 Nottingham vs Bristol?
+
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
In Bristol: gross £58,000 → £3,683/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,263/month
vs Bristol's £2,333/month.
What salary in Bristol matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £55,950 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£47,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 75 (Bristol).
Is Nottingham or Bristol cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 75 for Bristol (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £1,350/month in Bristol.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a software engineer in Nottingham?
+
A software engineer in Nottingham earning £47,000 takes home
£3,113/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Bristol the equivalent ratio is 37%.