Data / Business Analyst · City comparison · 2026

London vs Exeter

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

London salary
£58,000
£3,683/mo take-home
Exeter salary
£36,000
£2,453/mo take-home
London wins by
+£80
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
London

After paying rent, a data / business analyst in London retains £80/month more than in Exeter — 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
Exeter
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £36,000
Net monthly £2,453
Rent (1-bed) £1,000
Rent-to-income 41% — Stretched
After rent £1,453

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

On paper, London data / business analyst roles pay £22,000/year more than Exeter. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £3,683/month versus £2,453/month in Exeter.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,000/month in Exeter. Once housing costs are factored in, London workers have £1,533/month disposable income versus £1,453/month in Exeter — that is £960/year in real spending power.

London's rent-to-income ratio of 58% compares favourably to Exeter's 41%.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category London Exeter Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £2,150 £1,000 -53%
Transport £185 £68 -63%
Council tax £165 £125 -24%
Groceries £320 £272 -15%
Disposable income remaining £721 £853 +18%

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 70 for Exeter, a salary of £58,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £40,600 in Exeter.

London £58,000 ≈
£40,600
in Exeter

Income retention after all essentials

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

London 20%
Exeter 35%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
London £3.80
Exeter £2.66
Transit (single trip)
London £4.40
Exeter £1.62
Gym membership
London £55/mo
Exeter £39/mo
Cinema ticket
London £16.00
Exeter £11.20

Financial tools

Popular products for UK earners

Best match
Amex Gold
Earn points on everyday spending
Annual fee: £140
Apply Now
Travel rewards
Barclaycard Avios
Collect Avios on every purchase
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now
Cashback
Chase UK Cashback
1% cashback, no annual fee
Annual fee: £0
Apply Now

Frequently asked questions

Does a data / business analyst earn more in London or Exeter? +
London pays a median £58,000 vs £36,000 in Exeter — a gross difference of £22,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, London 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 Exeter? +
In London: gross £58,000£3,683/month net take-home. In Exeter: gross £36,000£2,453/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, London leaves £1,533/month vs Exeter's £1,453/month.
What salary in Exeter matches London purchasing power? +
Approximately £40,600 in Exeter delivers equivalent purchasing power to £58,000 in London, based on a cost-of-living index of 100 (London) vs 70 (Exeter).
Is London or Exeter cheaper to live in? +
Exeter is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 70 vs 100 for London (London = 100). Rent in London averages £2,150/month (1-bed) vs £1,000/month in Exeter.
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 Exeter the equivalent ratio is 41%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for London and Exeter

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

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