Aberdeen vs York
York wins on purchasing power. York data scientists have £72/month more disposable income after rent than their Aberdeen counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in York retains £72/month more than in Aberdeen — that's £864/year extra in purchasing power.
Aberdeen vs York: what the £72/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Aberdeen data scientist roles pay £2,000/year more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Aberdeen workers keep £3,081/month versus £3,053/month in York.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Aberdeen rent runs £1,050/month versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in, York workers have £2,103/month disposable income versus £2,031/month in Aberdeen — that is £864/year in real spending power.
York's rent-to-income ratio of 31% compares favourably to Aberdeen's 34%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 73 for Aberdeen and 68 for York, a salary of £48,000 in Aberdeen delivers equivalent purchasing power to £44,700 in York.
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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