Winner on purchasing power
Leicester
After paying rent, a data scientist in Leicester retains
£109/month more than in Glasgow —
that's £1,308/year extra in purchasing power.
Glasgow
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£50,000
Net monthly
£3,164
Rent (1-bed)
£900
Rent-to-income
28% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,264
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
Glasgow vs Leicester: what the £109/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Glasgow data scientist roles pay £2,000/year
more than Leicester. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Glasgow workers keep £3,164/month versus
£3,173/month in Leicester.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Glasgow rent runs £900/month
versus £800/month in Leicester. Once housing costs are factored in,
Leicester workers have £2,373/month
disposable income versus £2,264/month in Glasgow —
that is £1,308/year in real spending power.
Leicester's rent-to-income ratio of 25%
compares favourably to Glasgow's 28%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Glasgow |
Leicester |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£900 |
£800 |
-11% |
| Transport |
£55 |
£62 |
+13% |
| Council tax |
£148 |
£118 |
-20% |
| Groceries |
£265 |
£258 |
-3% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,666 |
£1,802 |
+8% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Glasgow
and 63 for Leicester,
a salary of £50,000 in Glasgow delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £50,800 in Leicester.
Glasgow £50,000 ≈
£50,800
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
Glasgow
£2.36
Leicester
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Glasgow
£1.31
Leicester
£1.48
Gym membership
Glasgow
£34/mo
Leicester
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Glasgow
£9.92
Leicester
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Glasgow or Leicester?
+
Glasgow pays a median £50,000 vs £48,000 in Leicester
— a gross difference of £2,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Leicester professionals
have £109/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Glasgow vs Leicester?
+
In Glasgow: gross £50,000 → £3,164/month net take-home.
In Leicester: gross £48,000 → £3,173/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Glasgow leaves £2,264/month
vs Leicester's £2,373/month.
What salary in Leicester matches Glasgow purchasing power?
+
Approximately £50,800 in Leicester delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£50,000 in Glasgow, based on a cost-of-living index of
62 (Glasgow) vs 63 (Leicester).
Is Glasgow or Leicester cheaper to live in?
+
Glasgow is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 62 vs 63 for Leicester (London = 100).
Rent in Glasgow averages £900/month (1-bed)
vs £800/month in Leicester.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Glasgow?
+
A data scientist in Glasgow earning £50,000 takes home
£3,164/month. With median 1-bed rent of £900/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 28%
(comfortable).
In Leicester the equivalent ratio is 25%.