Cambridge vs Oxford
Cambridge wins on purchasing power. Cambridge data scientists have £95/month more disposable income after rent than their Oxford counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Cambridge retains £95/month more than in Oxford — that's £1,140/year extra in purchasing power.
Cambridge vs Oxford: what the £95/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Cambridge data scientist roles pay £3,000/year more than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Cambridge workers keep £4,070/month versus £3,925/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cambridge rent runs £1,500/month versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in, Cambridge workers have £2,570/month disposable income versus £2,475/month in Oxford — that is £1,140/year in real spending power.
Cambridge's rent-to-income ratio of 37% compares favourably to Oxford's 37%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 87 for Cambridge and 85 for Oxford, a salary of £66,000 in Cambridge delivers equivalent purchasing power to £64,500 in Oxford.
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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