Glasgow vs Oxford
Oxford wins on purchasing power. Oxford data scientists have £211/month more disposable income after rent than their Glasgow counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Oxford retains £211/month more than in Glasgow — that's £2,532/year extra in purchasing power.
Glasgow vs Oxford: what the £211/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Glasgow data scientist roles pay £13,000/year less than Oxford. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — Glasgow workers keep £3,164/month versus £3,925/month in Oxford.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Glasgow rent runs £900/month versus £1,450/month in Oxford. Once housing costs are factored in, Oxford workers have £2,475/month disposable income versus £2,264/month in Glasgow — that is £2,532/year in real spending power.
Oxford's rent-to-income ratio of 37% compares favourably to Glasgow's 28%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Oxford delivers significantly more disposable income despite comparable gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 62 for Glasgow and 85 for Oxford, a salary of £50,000 in Glasgow delivers equivalent purchasing power to £68,550 in Oxford.
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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