London vs Edinburgh
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh data / business analysts have £281/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a data / business analyst in Edinburgh retains £281/month more than in London — that's £3,372/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Edinburgh: what the £281/month gap means for a data / business analyst
On paper, London data / business analyst roles pay £14,000/year more than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,914/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £1,814/month disposable income versus £1,533/month in London — that is £3,372/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 38% compares favourably to London's 58%.
For data / business analysts prioritising financial freedom, Edinburgh delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 72 for Edinburgh, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £41,750 in Edinburgh.
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
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners