Winner on purchasing power
Aberdeen
After paying rent, a data / business analyst in Aberdeen retains
£139/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £1,668/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£42,000
Net monthly
£2,802
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
37% — Stretched
After rent
£1,752
Cardiff
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£37,000
Net monthly
£2,513
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
36% — Stretched
After rent
£1,613
Aberdeen vs Cardiff: what the £139/month gap means for a data / business analyst
On paper, Aberdeen data / business analyst roles pay £5,000/year
more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £2,802/month versus
£2,513/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in,
Aberdeen workers have £1,752/month
disposable income versus £1,613/month in Cardiff —
that is £1,668/year in real spending power.
Aberdeen's rent-to-income ratio of 37%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 36%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
Cardiff |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£900 |
-14% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£50 |
-17% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£132 |
-11% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£255 |
-11% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,119 |
£1,043 |
-7% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen
and 64 for Cardiff,
a salary of £42,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £36,800 in Cardiff.
Aberdeen £42,000 ≈
£36,800
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
Aberdeen
£2.77
Cardiff
£2.43
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
Cardiff
£1.19
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Cardiff
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
Cardiff
£10.24
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data / business analyst earn more in Aberdeen or Cardiff?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £42,000 vs £37,000 in Cardiff
— a gross difference of £5,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Aberdeen professionals
have £139/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data / business analyst in Aberdeen vs Cardiff?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £42,000 → £2,802/month net take-home.
In Cardiff: gross £37,000 → £2,513/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £1,752/month
vs Cardiff's £1,613/month.
What salary in Cardiff matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £36,800 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£42,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 64 (Cardiff).
Is Aberdeen or Cardiff cheaper to live in?
+
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £900/month in Cardiff.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data / business analyst in Aberdeen?
+
A data / business analyst in Aberdeen earning £42,000 takes home
£2,802/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,050/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 37%
(stretched).
In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 36%.