What is the take-home pay on a £25,000 salary in Cardiff?

In 2026/27, a £25,000 gross salary in Cardiff leaves £21,520 per year (or £1,793 per month) after £2,486 Income Tax and £994 employee National Insurance. Welsh Rate of Income Tax matches the rest-of-UK rates for 2026/27.

What is the cost-of-living adjusted buying power of £25,000 in Cardiff?

With an estimated cost-of-living index of 95 (UK average = 100, London = 145), the £21,520 take-home has the local buying power of roughly £22,652 at the UK average price level, or £32,846 of equivalent London-priced consumption. Cardiff is broadly 34% cheaper than London on a typical household basket.

How much would I need to earn in London to match £25,000 in Cardiff?

Approximately £32,846 gross-equivalent take-home to match the buying power that £21,520 delivers in Cardiff, based on the relative cost-of-living indices. The exact gross salary would be slightly higher than £32,846 because of progressive Income Tax - run the figure through the salary calculator to get the matching gross.

How accurate is the cost-of-living index used here?

The index is an editorial estimate calibrated against ONS regional price-parity bands and Numbeo city indices. City-level cost varies sharply by postcode - inner Cardiff can differ a few percent from the headline figure. Treat the buying-power numbers as directional. For rent and council tax specifically, the Cardiff cost-of-living page has source-cited figures.

Salary buying power : Cardiff : 2026/27

£25,000 salary in Cardiff: Take-home and buying power 2026/27

A £25,000 gross salary in Cardiff leaves £21,520 of annual take-home (or £1,793 per month) after Income Tax and employee National Insurance for 2026/27. Adjusted for Cardiff being roughly 34% cheaper than London on a typical basket, the local buying power is equivalent to a London take-home of £32,846.

£25,000 in Cardiff: full breakdown

Engine-authoritative figures from the salarytax.uk salary calculator. Region used for tax computation: Wales.

Line	Annual
Gross salary	£25,000
Income Tax	£2,486
Employee National Insurance	£994
Take-home	£21,520
Cost-of-living index (UK avg = 100)	95
Buying power at UK-average prices	£22,652
London-equivalent buying power	£32,846

Cost-of-living index is editorial, calibrated against ONS regional price parity and Numbeo city indices. Treat buying-power figures as directional.

Cardiff cost context

Wales's capital. Welsh income tax mirrors England/NI for 2026/27 (Welsh Rate of Income Tax currently matches), so take-home is essentially the same as equivalent English cities. Rent moderate, council tax among the highest of the 15 cities here.

Typical 2-bed rent: £1,100/month (ONS Private Rental Prices median).
Council Tax Band D: £1,960/year (gov.uk 2025/26).
Median full-time pay: £33,540/year (ONS ASHE 2024).
Region: South Wales, Wales.

See the full Cardiff cost-of-living page for source-cited rent, council tax, and median-pay figures.

£25,000 in Cardiff vs other UK cities

Same £25,000 gross salary, paid in different UK cities. Take-home varies only between Scotland and rest-of-UK; buying power varies far more, because cost-of-living swings 30%+ between cities.

City	Take-home	COL index	London-equivalent	Page
Cardiff (this page)	£21,520	95	£32,846	-
London	£21,520	145	£21,520	View
Edinburgh	£21,559	105	£29,772	View
Manchester	£21,520	95	£32,846	View

Next steps

£25,000 buying power hub - what £25,000 actually buys in real items.
Full salary calculator for £25,000 - model pension, student loan, region overrides.
Cardiff cost of living - rent, council tax, median pay with sources.
UK cost-of-living comparison - all 15 major cities side by side.
UK buying-power overview - how take-home has tracked inflation since 2010.

Frequently asked questions

What is the take-home pay on a £25,000 salary in Cardiff?: In 2026/27, a £25,000 gross salary in Cardiff leaves £21,520 per year (or £1,793 per month) after £2,486 Income Tax and £994 employee National Insurance. Welsh Rate of Income Tax matches the rest-of-UK rates for 2026/27.
What is the cost-of-living adjusted buying power of £25,000 in Cardiff?: With an estimated cost-of-living index of 95 (UK average = 100, London = 145), the £21,520 take-home has the local buying power of roughly £22,652 at the UK average price level, or £32,846 of equivalent London-priced consumption. Cardiff is broadly 34% cheaper than London on a typical household basket.
How much would I need to earn in London to match £25,000 in Cardiff?: Approximately £32,846 gross-equivalent take-home to match the buying power that £21,520 delivers in Cardiff, based on the relative cost-of-living indices. The exact gross salary would be slightly higher than £32,846 because of progressive Income Tax - run the figure through the salary calculator to get the matching gross.
How accurate is the cost-of-living index used here?: The index is an editorial estimate calibrated against ONS regional price-parity bands and Numbeo city indices. City-level cost varies sharply by postcode - inner Cardiff can differ a few percent from the headline figure. Treat the buying-power numbers as directional. For rent and council tax specifically, the Cardiff cost-of-living page has source-cited figures.