Bristol vs London
Bristol wins on purchasing power. Bristol data scientists have £172/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Bristol retains £172/month more than in London — that's £2,064/year extra in purchasing power.
Bristol vs London: what the £172/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Bristol data scientist roles pay £13,000/year less than London. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Bristol workers keep £3,538/month versus £4,166/month in London.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Bristol rent runs £1,350/month versus £2,150/month in London. Once housing costs are factored in, Bristol workers have £2,188/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £2,064/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 38% compares favourably to London's 52%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 75 for Bristol and 100 for London, a salary of £55,000 in Bristol delivers equivalent purchasing power to £73,350 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
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