Winner on purchasing power
Nottingham
After paying rent, a data scientist in Nottingham retains
£35/month more than in Sheffield —
that's £420/year extra in purchasing power.
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
Sheffield
View full breakdown →
Gross salary
£46,000
Net monthly
£3,053
Rent (1-bed)
£825
Rent-to-income
27% — Comfortable
After rent
£2,228
Nottingham vs Sheffield: what the £35/month gap means for a data scientist
On paper, Nottingham data scientist roles pay £1,000/year
more than Sheffield. But take-home after tax and National Insurance tells a
different story — Nottingham workers keep £3,113/month versus
£3,053/month in Sheffield.
The bigger picture is after rent. Average Nottingham rent runs £850/month
versus £825/month in Sheffield. Once housing costs are factored in,
Nottingham workers have £2,263/month
disposable income versus £2,228/month in Sheffield —
that is £420/year in real spending power.
Nottingham's rent-to-income ratio of 27%
compares favourably to Sheffield's 27%.
Monthly cost comparison
All figures monthly · 2025/26
| Category |
Nottingham |
Sheffield |
Delta |
| Rent (1-bed median) |
£850 |
£825 |
-3% |
| Transport |
£58 |
£65 |
+12% |
| Council tax |
£118 |
£126 |
+7% |
| Groceries |
£260 |
£265 |
+2% |
| Disposable income remaining |
£1,694 |
£1,638 |
-3% |
Sources: ONS 2025 · Rightmove Q4 2025 · HMRC 2025/26 · Numbeo 2025
Cost-of-living equivalence
Based on a cost-of-living index of 63 for Nottingham
and 63 for Sheffield,
a salary of £47,000 in Nottingham delivers
equivalent purchasing power to £47,000 in Sheffield.
Nottingham £47,000 ≈
£47,000
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
Cappuccino
Nottingham
£2.39
Sheffield
£2.39
Transit (single trip)
Nottingham
£1.38
Sheffield
£1.55
Gym membership
Nottingham
£35/mo
Sheffield
£35/mo
Cinema ticket
Nottingham
£10.08
Sheffield
£10.08
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Frequently asked questions
Does a data scientist earn more in Nottingham or Sheffield?
+
Nottingham pays a median £47,000 vs £46,000 in Sheffield
— a gross difference of £1,000.
However, after accounting for rent and living costs, Nottingham professionals
have £35/month more disposable income, making it the stronger city in real terms.
What is the take-home pay for a data scientist in Nottingham vs Sheffield?
+
In Nottingham: gross £47,000 → £3,113/month net take-home.
In Sheffield: gross £46,000 → £3,053/month net take-home.
After paying median 1-bed rent, Nottingham leaves £2,263/month
vs Sheffield's £2,228/month.
What salary in Sheffield matches Nottingham purchasing power?
+
Approximately £47,000 in Sheffield delivers equivalent purchasing power to
£47,000 in Nottingham, based on a cost-of-living index of
63 (Nottingham) vs 63 (Sheffield).
Is Nottingham or Sheffield cheaper to live in?
+
Nottingham and Sheffield have the same cost-of-living index of 63 (London = 100).
Rent in Nottingham averages £850/month (1-bed)
vs £825/month in Sheffield.
What is the rent-to-income ratio for a data scientist in Nottingham?
+
A data scientist in Nottingham earning £47,000 takes home
£3,113/month. With median 1-bed rent of £850/month,
the rent-to-income ratio is 27%
(comfortable).
In Sheffield the equivalent ratio is 27%.