Edinburgh vs Leeds
Leeds wins on purchasing power. Leeds data scientists have £244/month more disposable income after rent than their Edinburgh counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Leeds retains £244/month more than in Edinburgh — that's £2,928/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh vs Leeds: what the £244/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Edinburgh data scientist roles pay £2,000/year more than Leeds. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,349/month versus £3,393/month in Leeds.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month versus £900/month in Leeds. Once housing costs are factored in, Leeds workers have £2,493/month disposable income versus £2,249/month in Edinburgh — that is £2,928/year in real spending power.
Leeds's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Edinburgh's 33%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Leeds delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh and 66 for Leeds, a salary of £54,000 in Edinburgh delivers equivalent purchasing power to £49,500 in Leeds.
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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