Birmingham vs Cardiff
Birmingham wins on purchasing power. Birmingham data scientists have £410/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Birmingham retains £410/month more than in Cardiff — that's £4,920/year extra in purchasing power.
Birmingham vs Cardiff: what the £410/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Birmingham data scientist roles pay £6,000/year more than Cardiff. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Birmingham workers keep £3,293/month versus £2,933/month in Cardiff.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Birmingham rent runs £850/month versus £900/month in Cardiff. Once housing costs are factored in, Birmingham workers have £2,443/month disposable income versus £2,033/month in Cardiff — that is £4,920/year in real spending power.
Birmingham's rent-to-income ratio of 26% compares favourably to Cardiff's 31%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Birmingham delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 65 for Birmingham and 64 for Cardiff, a salary of £50,000 in Birmingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to £49,250 in Cardiff.
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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