Cardiff vs Newcastle
Newcastle wins on purchasing power. Newcastle data scientists have £210/month more disposable income after rent than their Cardiff counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Newcastle retains £210/month more than in Cardiff — that's £2,520/year extra in purchasing power.
Cardiff vs Newcastle: what the £210/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Cardiff data scientist roles pay £1,000/year less than Newcastle. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Cardiff workers keep £2,933/month versus £2,993/month in Newcastle.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month versus £750/month in Newcastle. Once housing costs are factored in, Newcastle workers have £2,243/month disposable income versus £2,033/month in Cardiff — that is £2,520/year in real spending power.
Newcastle's rent-to-income ratio of 25% compares favourably to Cardiff's 31%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Newcastle 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 61 for Newcastle, a salary of £44,000 in Cardiff delivers equivalent purchasing power to £41,950 in Newcastle.
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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