Winner on purchasing power
Leicester
After paying rent, a data scientist in Leicester retains
£124/month more than in Edinburgh —
that's £1,488/year extra in purchasing power.
Edinburgh
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£54,000
Net monthly
£3,349
Rent (1-bed)
£1,100
Rent-to-income
33% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,249
Leicester
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£48,000
Net monthly
£3,173
Rent (1-bed)
£800
Rent-to-income
25% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,373
Edinburgh vs Leicester: what the £124/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Edinburgh data scientist roles pay £6,000/year
more than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,349/month versus
£3,173/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month
versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leicester workers have £2,373/month
disposable income versus £2,249/month in Edinburgh —
that is £1,488/year in real spending power.
Leicester's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Edinburgh's 33%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Edinburgh |
Leicester |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,100 |
£800 |
-27% |
| Transport |
£62 |
£62 |
0% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£118 |
-24% |
| Groceries |
£280 |
£258 |
-8% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,622 |
£1,802 |
+11% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 72 for Edinburgh
and 63 for Leicester,
a salary of £54,000 in Edinburgh delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £47,250 in Leicester.
Edinburgh £54,000 ≈
£47,250
in Leicester
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
Edinburgh
£2.74
Leicester
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh
£1.48
Leicester
£1.48
Gym membership
Edinburgh
£40/mo
Leicester
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh
£11.52
Leicester
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Edinburgh or Leicester?
+
Edinburgh pays a median £54,000 vs £48,000 in Leicester
— a gross difference of £6,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leicester professionals
have £124/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Edinburgh vs Leicester?
+
In Edinburgh: gross £54,000 → £3,349/month net take-home.
In Leicester: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,249/month
vs Leicester's £2,373/month.
What salary in Leicester matches Edinburgh purchasing power?
+
Approximately £47,250 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£54,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of
72 (Edinburgh) vs 63 (Leicester).
Is Edinburgh or Leicester cheaper to live in?
+
Leicester is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed)
vs £800/month in Leicester.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Edinburgh?
+
A data scientist in Edinburgh earning £54,000 takes home
£3,349/month. With median 1-bed rent of £1,100/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 33%
(comfortable).
In Leicester the equivalent ratio is 25%.