Cambridge vs Leeds
Leeds wins on purchasing power. Leeds data / business analysts have £43/month more disposable income after rent than their Cambridge counterparts.
After paying rent, a data / business analyst in Leeds retains £43/month more than in Cambridge — that's £516/year extra in purchasing power.
Cambridge vs Leeds: what the £43/month gap means for a data / business analyst
On paper, Cambridge data / business analyst roles pay £10,000/year more than Leeds. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Cambridge workers keep £3,490/month versus £2,933/month in Leeds.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cambridge rent runs £1,500/month versus £900/month in Leeds. Once housing costs are factored in, Leeds workers have £2,033/month disposable income versus £1,990/month in Cambridge — that is £516/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 31% compares favourably to Cambridge's 43%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 87 for Cambridge and 66 for Leeds, a salary of £54,000 in Cambridge delivers equivalent purchasing power to £40,950 in Leeds.
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
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