Cardiff vs Glasgow
Glasgow wins on purchasing power. Glasgow data scientists have £231/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Glasgow retains £231/month more than in Cardiff — that's £2,772/year extra in purchasing power.
Cardiff vs Glasgow: what the £231/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Cardiff data scientist roles pay £6,000/year less than Glasgow. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Cardiff workers keep £2,933/month versus £3,164/month in Glasgow.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month versus £900/month in Glasgow. Once housing costs are factored in, Glasgow workers have £2,264/month disposable income versus £2,033/month in Cardiff — that is £2,772/year in real spending power.
Glasgow's rent-to-income ratio of 28% compares favourably to Cardiff's 31%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Glasgow delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff and 62 for Glasgow, a salary of £44,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £42,650 in Glasgow.
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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