Data Scientist · City comparison · 2026

London vs Nottingham

Nottingham wins on purchasing power. Nottingham data scientists have £247/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.

London salary
£68,000
£4,166/mo take-home
Nottingham salary
£47,000
£3,113/mo take-home
Nottingham wins by
+£247
per month after rent
Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham

After paying rent, a data scientist in Nottingham retains £247/month more than in London — that's £2,964/year extra in purchasing power.

+£247
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
Nottingham
View full breakdown →
Gross salary £47,000
Net monthly £3,113
Rent (1-bed) £850
Rent-to-income 27% — Comfortable
After rent £2,263

London vs Nottingham: what the £247/month gap means for a data scientist

On paper, London data scientist roles pay £21,000/year more than Nottingham. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,166/month versus £3,113/month in Nottingham.

The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £850/month in Nottingham. Once housing costs are factored in, Nottingham workers have £2,263/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £2,964/year in real spending power.

Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to London's 52%.

For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Nottingham delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.

Monthly cost comparison

All figures monthly · 2025/26

Category London Nottingham Delta
Rent (1-bed median) £2,150 £850 -60%
Transport £185 £58 -69%
Council tax £165 £118 -28%
Groceries £320 £260 -19%
Disposable income remaining £1,204 £1,694 +41%

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 63 for Nottingham, a salary of £68,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £42,850 in Nottingham.

London £68,000 ≈
£42,850
in Nottingham

Income retention after all essentials

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

London 29%
Nottingham 54%

Everyday costs

Estimated typical prices · scaled from Numbeo 2025

Cappuccino
London £3.80
Nottingham £2.39
Transit (single trip)
London £4.40
Nottingham £1.38
Gym membership
London £55/mo
Nottingham £35/mo
Cinema ticket
London £16.00
Nottingham £10.08

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Frequently asked questions

Does a data scientist earn more in London or Nottingham? +
London pays a median £68,000 vs £47,000 in Nottingham — a gross difference of £21,000. However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals have £247/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 Nottingham? +
In London: gross £68,000£4,166/month net take-home. In Nottingham: gross £47,000£3,113/month net take-home. After paying median 1-bed rent, London leaves £2,016/month vs Nottingham's £2,263/month.
What salary in Nottingham matches London purchasing power? +
Approximately £42,850 in Nottingham delivers equivalent purchasing power to £68,000 in London, based on a cost-of-living index of 100 (London) vs 63 (Nottingham).
Is London or Nottingham cheaper to live in? +
Nottingham is cheaper overall, with a cost-of-living index of 63 vs 100 for London (London = 100). Rent in London averages £2,150/month (1-bed) vs £850/month in Nottingham.
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 Nottingham the equivalent ratio is 27%.

Explore further

Affordability and salary breakdowns for London and Nottingham

Afford London on £70,000? Afford Nottingham on £45,000? Salary equivalence: London → Nottingham Standard of living: Data Scientist in London Standard of living: Data Scientist in Nottingham

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