Winner on purchasing power
Leicester
After paying rent, a data scientist in Leicester retains
£187/month more than in Brighton —
that's £2,244/year extra in purchasing power.
Brighton
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£56,000
Net monthly
£3,586
Rent (1-bed)
£1,400
Rent-to-income
39% — Stretched
After rent
£2,186
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,373
Brighton vs Leicester: what the £187/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Brighton data scientist roles pay £8,000/year
more than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Brighton workers keep £3,586/month versus
£3,173/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Brighton rent runs £1,400/month
versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leicester workers have £2,373/month
disposable income versus £2,186/month in Brighton —
that is £2,244/year in real spending power.
Leicester's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Brighton's 39%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Brighton |
Leicester |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,400 |
£800 |
-43% |
| Transport |
£80 |
£62 |
-22% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£118 |
-24% |
| Groceries |
£295 |
£258 |
-13% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,516 |
£1,802 |
+19% |
Sources: ONS ASHE 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 82 for Brighton
and 63 for Leicester,
a salary of £56,000 in Brighton delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £43,000 in Leicester.
Brighton £56,000 ≈
£43,000
in Leicester
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
Brighton
£3.12
Leicester
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Brighton
£1.90
Leicester
£1.48
Gym membership
Brighton
£45/mo
Leicester
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Brighton
£13.12
Leicester
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Brighton or Leicester?
+
Brighton pays a median £56,000 vs £48,000 in Leicester
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leicester professionals
have £187/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Brighton vs Leicester?
+
In Brighton: gross £56,000 → £3,586/month net take-home.
In Leicester: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Brighton leaves £2,186/month
vs Leicester's £2,373/month.
What salary in Leicester matches Brighton purchasing power?
+
Approximately £43,000 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£56,000 in Brighton, based on a cost-of-living index of
82 (Brighton) vs 63 (Leicester).
Is Brighton or Leicester cheaper to live in?
+
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 82 for Brighton (London = 100).
Rent in Brighton averages £1,400/month (1-bed)
vs £800/month in Leicester.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Brighton?
+
A data scientist in Brighton earning £56,000 takes home
£3,586/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,400/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 39%
(stretched).
In Leicester the equivalent ratio is 25%.