Aberdeen vs London
Aberdeen wins on purchasing power. Aberdeen data scientists have £15/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Aberdeen retains £15/month more than in London — that's £180/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen vs London: what the £15/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Aberdeen data scientist roles pay £20,000/year less than London. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,081/month versus £4,166/month in London.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £2,150/month in London. Once housing costs are factored in, Aberdeen workers have £2,031/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £180/year in real spending power.
Aberdeen's rent-to-income ratio of 34% compares favourably to London's 52%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 100 for London, a salary of £48,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £65,750 in London.
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