London vs Bristol
Bristol wins on purchasing power. Bristol data scientists have £172/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Bristol retains £172/month more than in London — that's £2,064/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Bristol: what the £172/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, London data scientist roles pay £13,000/year more than Bristol. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,166/month versus £3,538/month in Bristol.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £1,350/month in Bristol. Once housing costs are factored in, Bristol workers have £2,188/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £2,064/year in real spending power.
Bristol's rent-to-income ratio of 38% compares favourably to London's 52%.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 75 for Bristol, a salary of £68,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £51,000 in Bristol.
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
Financial tools
Popular products for UK earners