Winner on purchasing power
Sheffield
After paying rent, a data scientist in Sheffield retains
£195/month more than in Cardiff —
that's £2,340/year extra in purchasing power.
Cardiff
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£44,000
Net monthly
£2,933
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
31% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,033
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,228
Cardiff vs Sheffield: what the £195/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Cardiff data scientist roles pay £2,000/year
less than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Cardiff workers keep £2,933/month versus
£3,053/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Cardiff rent runs £900/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Sheffield workers have £2,228/month
disposable income versus £2,033/month in Cardiff —
that is £2,340/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Cardiff's 31%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Cardiff |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£825 |
-8% |
| Transport |
£50 |
£65 |
+30% |
| Council tax |
£132 |
£126 |
-5% |
| Groceries |
£255 |
£265 |
+4% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,463 |
£1,638 |
+12% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 64 for Cardiff
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £44,000 in Cardiff delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £43,300 in Sheffield.
Cardiff £44,000 ≈
£43,300
in Sheffield
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
Cardiff
£2.43
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Cardiff
£1.19
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Cardiff
£35/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Cardiff
£10.24
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Cardiff or Sheffield?
+
Cardiff pays a median £44,000 vs £46,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Sheffield professionals
have £195/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Cardiff vs Sheffield?
+
In Cardiff: gross £44,000 → £2,933/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Cardiff leaves £2,033/month
vs Sheffield's £2,228/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Cardiff purchasing power?
+
Approximately £43,300 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£44,000 in Cardiff, based on a cost-of-living index of
64 (Cardiff) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Cardiff or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Sheffield is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 64 for Cardiff (London = 100).
Rent in Cardiff averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Cardiff?
+
A data scientist in Cardiff earning £44,000 takes home
£2,933/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 31%
(comfortable).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 27%.