Aberdeen vs Edinburgh
Edinburgh wins on purchasing power. Edinburgh data scientists have £218/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Edinburgh retains £218/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £2,616/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen vs Edinburgh: what the £218/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Aberdeen data scientist roles pay £6,000/year less than Edinburgh. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,081/month versus £3,349/month in Edinburgh.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £1,100/month in Edinburgh. Once housing costs are factored in, Edinburgh workers have £2,249/month disposable income versus £2,031/month in Aberdeen — that is £2,616/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 33% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 34%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Edinburgh delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 72 for Edinburgh, a salary of £48,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £47,350 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
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