London vs Sheffield
Sheffield wins on purchasing power. Sheffield data scientists have £212/month more disposable income after rent than their London counterparts.
After paying rent, a data scientist in Sheffield retains £212/month more than in London — that's £2,544/year extra in purchasing power.
London vs Sheffield: what the £212/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, London data scientist roles pay £22,000/year more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a different story — London workers keep £4,166/month versus £3,053/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average London rent runs £2,150/month versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in, Sheffield workers have £2,228/month disposable income versus £2,016/month in London — that is £2,544/year in real spending power.
Sheffield's rent-to-income ratio of 27% compares favourably to London's 52%.
For data scientists prioritising financial freedom, Sheffield delivers significantly more disposable income despite lower gross pay.
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 100 for London and 63 for Sheffield, a salary of £68,000 in London delivers equivalent purchasing power to £42,850 in Sheffield.
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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