Exeter vs Sheffield
Sheffield wins on purchasing power. Sheffield data scientists have £295/month more disposable income after rent than their Exeter counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Sheffield retains £295/month more than in Exeter — that's £3,540/year extra in purchasing power.
Exeter vs Sheffield: what the £295/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Exeter data scientist roles pay £2,000/year less than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Exeter workers keep £2,933/month versus £3,053/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Exeter rent runs £1,000/month versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in, Sheffield workers have £2,228/month disposable income versus £1,933/month in Exeter — that is £3,540/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to Exeter's 34%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Sheffield delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 70 for Exeter and 63 for Sheffield, a salary of £44,000 in Exeter delivers equivalent purchasing power to £39,600 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
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