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Bristol
#85 of 124
Europe

Bristol

United Kingdom

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Bristol compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Bristol is 53% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Bristol compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$76,763
-$196K (-72%) vs San Francisco
Based on 99 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$52,199
-$120K (-70%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 32%

Community Insights

New

Bristol presents itself as the UK's premier "lifestyle" tech hub, balancing a serious engineering market (Silicon Gorge) with a relaxed, artsy, and green environment. It is widely considered the best option for those who find London too intense but Manchester too cold/industrial. However, this popularity has come at a steep price: housing affordability is a major pain point, with a rental market that feels broken to many newcomers. The tech scene is robust, particularly for those in deep tech, robotics, and systems engineering, often paying better than average UK rates but still lagging behind the sharp rise in local living costs. Infrastructure, particularly buses, fails to keep up with the city's growth, making location selection for housing crucial.

Resident Sentiment

Current residents generally love the city's vibe but hate the infrastructure and cost. There is a strong sense of pride in Bristol's independent spirit and "green" identity, but this is increasingly overshadowed by frustration with First Bus and landlords. Transplants from London often feel relieved by the friendliness and pace, while locals or transplants from the North often complain about the gentrification and pricing. The consensus is that it is a wonderful place to live if you can afford a nice flat in a central area like Clifton or , but a struggle if you are pushed to the outskirts and have to commute.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Safety Index

Middle of the pack

#57

of 124 cities

57/100

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#59

of 124 cities

44/100 weather score

Current value

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#59

of 124 cities

46.5/100

Current value (lower is better)

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Bristol compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$6,056 / m²
40% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Bristol to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
35% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Bristol

BJSS logo
BJSS
Graphcore logo
Graphcore
Kaluza logo
Kaluza
Southville

The Good

  • Silicon Gorge tech hub status offers diverse opportunities beyond just web dev, including strong robotics, aerospace, defense, and embedded systems sectors (e.g., Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Graphcore).
  • Vibrant cultural scene often described as a "mini-London" with a distinct artsy, alternative, and bohemian vibe (Banksy's home town) without the overwhelming rush of the capital.
  • Access to green spaces and nature is superior to most UK cities; the city is close to the Cotswolds, Somerset countryside, and has many internal parks like the Downs.
  • Strong community feel in neighborhoods; areas like Clifton, Southville, and Gloucester Road have distinct, village-like atmospheres with independent shops and cafes.
  • Walkability and cycling infrastructure (Bristol and Bath Railway Path) are highly rated, provided you can handle the steep hills.

The Bad

  • Public transport, specifically First Bus, is almost universally reviled by residents for being unreliable, expensive, and frequently cancelled (“ghost buses”).
  • Rental market crisis is severe; demand far outstrips supply, leading to bidding wars, viewing queues, and prices that are increasingly comparable to London outer zones despite lower salaries.
  • Cost of living is high relative to local salaries; while cheaper than London, it is significantly more expensive than northern tech hubs like Manchester or Leeds.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Deep tech or embedded systems engineers looking for career growth outside of pure fintech/web. People who value a progressive, alternative culture and want easy access to the outdoors (surfing in nearby artificial lakes or hiking in the Mendips). Those moving from London often find it a "soft landing" that retains the cultural amenities (good coffee, music, art) while offering a slightly slower pace.

Skip it if...

Junior engineers looking to maximize savings early in their career; the rent-to-income ratio here is tough compared to the North of England. People who rely entirely on public transport for a strictly timed commute (unless you live on a train line). Anyone who despises rain and hills, or those expecting a 24/7 metropolis vibe—Bristol is lively but still a small city compared to global capitals.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather4.4/10-49% vs San Francisco
Safety57+45%
Pollution46-6%
Events0-100%
4.4/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
14°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
8°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
1,625h/yr-1437h/yr(-47%)
Hottest Month High
21°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
3°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
101/yr+53/yr(+109%)

Community & Quality

Bristol community pulse

Bristol has 0 Luma events listed.

100% fewer events than San Francisco.

Net Income

Middle of the pack

#63

of 124 cities

$52,199/yr

Current value

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#63

of 124 cities

32%

Current value (lower is better)

Home Affordability

Middle of the pack

#75

of 124 cities

≈9.3 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#79

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#82

of 124 cities

58/100

Current value (lower is better)

Purchasing Power

Bottom 32%

#85

of 124 cities

SWE Affordability
9.3 years
4.6 years longer than San Francisco
Traffic congestion is notorious; driving into the city center is difficult due to narrow streets, the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges, and general gridlock.
  • Hills can be a physical barrier; commuting by bike requires a good fitness level or an e-bike, as the city is built on very steep gradients.
    • Muggy Days
    0/yr(same as San Francisco)
    Cloud Cover
    57%(vs 34% in San Francisco)