Data / Business Analyst · City comparison · 2026

London vs Cardiff

Cardiff wins on purchasing power. Cardiff data / business analysts have £80/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.

London salary
£58,000
£3,683/mo take-home
Cardiff salary
£37,000
£2,513/mo take-home
Cardiff wins by
+£80
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Cardiff

After paying rent, a data / business analyst in Cardiff retains £80/month more than in London — that's £960/year extra in purchasing power.

+£80
per month
London
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £58,000
Net monthly £3,683
Rent (1-bed) £2,150
Rent-to-income 58% — High pressure
After rent £1,533
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

London vs Cardiff: what the £80/month gap means for a data / business analyst

On paper, London data / business analyst roles pay £21,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,513/month in Cardiff.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Cardiff workers have £1,613/month disposable income versus £1,533/month in London — that is £960/year in real spending power.

Cardiff's rent-to-income ratio of 36% compares favourably to London's 58%.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category London Cardiff Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £2,150 £900 -58%
Transport £185 £50 -73%
Council tax £165 £132 -20%
Groceries £320 £255 -20%
Disposable income remaining £721 £1,043 +45%

Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £37,100 in Cardiff.

London £58,000 ≈
£37,100
in Cardiff

Income retention after all essentials

% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries

London 20%
Cardiff 42%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
London £3.80
Cardiff £2.43
Transit (single trip)
London £4.40
Cardiff £1.19
Gym membership
London £55/mo
Cardiff £35/mo
Cinema ticket
London £16.00
Cardiff £10.24

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Frequently asked questions

Does a data / business analyst earn more in London or Cardiff? +
London pays a median £58,000 vs £37,000 in Cardiff — a gross difference of £21,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Cardiff professionals have £80/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data / business analyst in London vs Cardiff? +
In London: gross £58,000£3,683/month net take-home. In Cardiff: gross £37,000£2,513/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, London leaves £1,533/month vs Cardiff's £1,613/month.
What salary in Cardiff matches London purchasing power? +
Approximately £37,100 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,000 in London, based on a cost-of-living index of 100 (London) vs 64 (Cardiff).
Is London or Cardiff cheaper to live in? +
Cardiff is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 64 vs 100 for London (London = 100). Rent in London averages £2,150/month (1-bed) vs £900/month in Cardiff.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data / business analyst in London? +
A data / business analyst in London earning £58,000 takes home £3,683/month. With median 1-bed rent of £2,150/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 58% (high pressure). In Cardiff the equivalent ratio is 36%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for London and Cardiff

Afford London on £60,000? Afford Cardiff on £35,000? Salary equivalence: London → Cardiff Standard of living: Data / Business Analyst in London Standard of living: Data / Business Analyst in Cardiff

Data sources & methodology

ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 · Rightmove Rental Trends Tracker Q1 2026 · Numbeo Cost of Living 2026

Analysis by the SalaryDex data team · May 2026 · Corrections: [email protected] · Full methodology · Data transparency pledge