Cost of living in Bristol — is your salary enough?
Bristol rents average £1,400/month, making it the most expensive major city outside London. Bristol's high costs for a non-London salary create a specific savings squeeze for mid-career earners.
Rent in Bristol
Other monthly costs
How different incomes stack up
At typical Bristol costs (£1,400 rent)
See your personal verdict for Bristol
Cost figures are estimates based on reported median rents and typical spending patterns. Savings benchmarks from ONS Living Costs & Food Survey FYE2024. Figures in GBP.
Frequently asked questions — Living in Bristol
How much does it cost to live in Bristol?+
Core monthly costs in Bristol run about £2,500 — roughly £1,400 for rent and £1,100 for other living expenses (food, transport, utilities, basics). Bristol rents average £1,400/month, making it the most expensive major city outside London.
What is the median rent in Bristol?+
The median rent in Bristol is around £1,400 per month. Bristol is classified as a high cost cost-of-living city in United Kingdom.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Bristol?+
Using the 70%-rule (core costs ≤ 70% of gross), you need roughly £42,857 per year before tax to live comfortably in Bristol. That leaves room to hit the 16% savings benchmark for United Kingdom.
Is Bristol expensive compared to the rest of United Kingdom?+
Bristol sits in the high cost tier within United Kingdom. Bristol's high costs for a non-London salary create a specific savings squeeze for mid-career earners.
How much of your income should rent take in Bristol?+
The standard rule is no more than 30% of gross income on rent. At £1,400/month in Bristol, that means a gross income of at least £56,000 per year to stay under the 30% threshold.
Can you still save money living in Bristol?+
Yes — the United Kingdom benchmark for mid-income earners is 16% of gross income. In a high cost city like Bristol, hitting that rate is tighter but achievable with disciplined budgeting.
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