Winner on purchasing power
Edinburgh
After paying rent, a data scientist in Edinburgh retains
£146/month more than in York —
that's £1,752/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
York
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£950
Rent-to-income
31% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,103
Edinburgh vs York: what the £146/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Edinburgh data scientist roles pay £8,000/year
more than York. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Edinburgh workers keep £3,349/month versus
£3,053/month in York.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Edinburgh rent runs £1,100/month
versus £950/month in York. Once housing costs are factored in,
Edinburgh workers have £2,249/month
disposable income versus £2,103/month in York —
that is £1,752/year in real spending power.
Edinburgh's rent-to-income ratio of 33%
compares favourably to York's 31%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Edinburgh |
York |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£1,100 |
£950 |
-14% |
| Transport |
£62 |
£68 |
+10% |
| Council tax |
£155 |
£120 |
-23% |
| Groceries |
£280 |
£270 |
-4% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,622 |
£1,510 |
-7% |
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 68 for York,
a salary of £54,000 in Edinburgh delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £51,000 in York.
Edinburgh £54,000 ≈
£51,000
in York
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
York
£2.58
Transit (single trip)
Edinburgh
£1.48
York
£1.62
Gym membership
Edinburgh
£40/mo
York
£37/mo
Cinema ticket
Edinburgh
£11.52
York
£10.88
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Edinburgh or York?
+
Edinburgh pays a median £54,000 vs £46,000 in York
— a gross difference of £8,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Edinburgh professionals
have £146/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 York?
+
In Edinburgh: gross £54,000 → £3,349/month net take-home.
In York: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Edinburgh leaves £2,249/month
vs York's £2,103/month.
What salary in York matches Edinburgh purchasing power?
+
Approximately £51,000 in York delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£54,000 in Edinburgh, based on a cost-of-living index of
72 (Edinburgh) vs 68 (York).
Is Edinburgh or York cheaper to live in?
+
York is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 68 vs 72 for Edinburgh (London = 100).
Rent in Edinburgh averages £1,100/month (1-bed)
vs £950/month in York.
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 York the equivalent ratio is 31%.