Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield
After paying rent, a data scientist in Sheffield retains
£197/month more than in Aberdeen —
that's £2,364/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,081
Rent (1-bed)
£1,050
Rent-to-income
34% — Stretched
After rent
£2,031
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,228
Aberdeen vs Sheffield: what the £197/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Aberdeen data scientist roles pay £2,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,081/month versus
£3,053/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Sheffield workers have £2,228/month
disposable income versus £2,031/month in Aberdeen —
that is £2,364/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Aberdeen's 34%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Aberdeen |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,050 |
£825 |
-21% |
| Transport |
£60 |
£65 |
+8% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£126 |
-15% |
| Groceries |
£285 |
£265 |
-7% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,398 |
£1,638 |
+17% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £48,000 in Aberdeen delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £41,400 in Sheffield.
Aberdeen £48,000 ≈
£41,400
in Sheffield
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
Cappuccino
Aberdeen
£2.77
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Aberdeen
£1.43
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Aberdeen
£40/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Aberdeen
£11.68
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Aberdeen or Sheffield?
+
Aberdeen pays a median £48,000 vs £46,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals
have £197/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Aberdeen vs Sheffield?
+
In Aberdeen: gross £48,000 → £3,081/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Aberdeen leaves £2,031/month
vs Sheffield's £2,228/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Aberdeen purchasing power?
+
Approximately £41,400 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£48,000 in Aberdeen, based on a cost-of-living index of
73 (Aberdeen) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Aberdeen or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 73 for Aberdeen (London = 100).
Rent in Aberdeen averages £1,050/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Aberdeen?
+
A data scientist in Aberdeen earning £48,000 takes home
£3,081/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,050/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 34%
(stretched).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 27%.