Data Scientist · City comparison · 2026

London vs Brighton

Brighton wins on purchasing power. Brighton data scientists have £170/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.

London salary
£68,000
£4,166/mo take-home
Brighton salary
£56,000
£3,586/mo take-home
Brighton wins by
+£170
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Brighton

After paying rent, a data scientist in Brighton retains £170/month more than in London — that's £2,040/year extra in purchasing power.

+£170
per month
London
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £68,000
Net monthly £4,166
Rent (1-bed) £2,150
Rent-to-income 52% — High pressure
After rent £2,016
Brighton
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £56,000
Net monthly £3,586
Rent (1-bed) £1,400
Rent-to-income 39% — Stretched
After rent £2,186

London vs Brighton: what the £170/month gap means for a data scientist

On paper, London data scientist roles pay £12,000/year more than Brighton. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,166/month versus £3,586/month in Brighton.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,400/month in Brighton. Once housing costs are factored in, Brighton workers have £2,186/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £2,040/year in real spending power.

Brighton's rent-to-income ratio of 39% compares favourably to London's 52%.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category London Brighton Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £2,150 £1,400 -35%
Transport £185 £80 -57%
Council tax £165 £155 -6%
Groceries £320 £295 -8%
Disposable income remaining £1,204 £1,516 +26%

Sources: LinkedIn 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025

Cost-of-living equivalence

Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 82 for Brighton, a salary of £68,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £55,750 in Brighton.

London £68,000 ≈
£55,750
in Brighton

Income retention after all essentials

% of net monthly pay remaining after rent, transport, council tax and groceries

London 29%
Brighton 42%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
London £3.80
Brighton £3.12
Transit (single trip)
London £4.40
Brighton £1.90
Gym membership
London £55/mo
Brighton £45/mo
Cinema ticket
London £16.00
Brighton £13.12

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Frequently asked questions

Does a data scientist earn more in London or Brighton? +
London pays a median £68,000 vs £56,000 in Brighton — a gross difference of £12,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Brighton professionals have £170/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in London vs Brighton? +
In London: gross £68,000£4,166/month net take-home. In Brighton: gross £56,000£3,586/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, London leaves £2,016/month vs Brighton's £2,186/month.
What salary in Brighton matches London purchasing power? +
Approximately £55,750 in Brighton delivers equivalent purchasing power to £68,000 in London, based on a cost-of-living index of 100 (London) vs 82 (Brighton).
Is London or Brighton cheaper to live in? +
Brighton is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 82 vs 100 for London (London = 100). Rent in London averages £2,150/month (1-bed) vs £1,400/month in Brighton.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in London? +
A data scientist in London earning £68,000 takes home £4,166/month. With median 1-bed rent of £2,150/month, the rent-to-income ratio is 52% (high pressure). In Brighton the equivalent ratio is 39%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for London and Brighton

Afford London on £70,000? Afford Brighton on £55,000? Salary equivalence: London → Brighton Standard of living: Data Scientist in London Standard of living: Data Scientist in Brighton

Data sources & methodology

ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 · Rightmove Rental Trends Tracker Q1 2026 · Numbeo Cost of Living 2026

Analysis by the SalaryDex data team · May 2026 · Corrections: [email protected] · Full methodology · Data transparency pledge