Cardiff vs Leicester
Leicester wins on purchasing power. Leicester data analysts have £340/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
After paying rent, a data analyst in Leicester retains £340/month more than in Cardiff — that's £4,080/year extra in purchasing power.
Cardiff vs Leicester: what the £340/month gap means for a data analyst
On paper, Cardiff data analyst roles pay £4,000/year less than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Cardiff workers keep £2,453/month versus £2,693/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in, Leicester workers have £1,893/month disposable income versus £1,553/month in Cardiff — that is £4,080/year in real spending power.
Leicester's rent-to-income ratio of 30% compares favourably to Cardiff's 37%.
For data analysts prioritising financial freedom, Leicester delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff and 63 for Leicester, a salary of £36,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £35,450 in Leicester.
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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