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Living in Cardiff

In Cardiff, the median gross salary is €3,718 a month (2025), tenants pay an average rent of €1,375 a month (2026) and unemployment is 3.3% (2026).

Cardiff is one of the cities recorded in the United Kingdom.

Last checked 2026-10-0228 sources

Population383,919people30 Jun 2024Official source · ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 — MYE2: Persons by single year of age (All ages totals)
Median gross salary3,718EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS)
Average rent1,375EUR/month31 Aug 2026Official source · ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Table 1: average monthly rent price by local authority
Unemployment rate3.3%country median 3.4% — 3% belowOfficial source · www.nomisweb.co.uk
Recorded crime9,379offences per 100,000country median 9,646 — 3% belowOfficial source · Office for National Statistics
PM2.5, annual mean8.04µg/m³country median 6.5 — 24% aboveOfficial source · DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025

Which United Kingdom-wide rules apply when you move to Cardiff?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in United KingdomNational rates and thresholds that apply in Cardiff.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Cardiff. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Cardiff recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€24
Mobile plan, 10 GB€13
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited24.02 EUR/month30 Sept 2026BT Full Fibre 1502Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB12.87 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Three 100GB one-month data pack16Official · national market
Rent price index, mean1,375 EUR/month31 Aug 2026Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), UK: monthly price statistics, 16 September 2026 edition15Official
Average monthly rent (whole dwelling)1,375 EUR/month31 Aug 2026ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Table 1: average monthly rent price by local authority11Official

Is Cardiff a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker31%strong on work, weak on safety · range 23–39%
Skilled employee60%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–68%
Student34%strong on education, weak on work · range 27–41%
Family45%strong on family, weak on cost · range 37–53%
Retirement28%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 19–37%

Work and income

What is the typical salary in Cardiff?

The median gross salary is about 3,718 EUR/month (2025). Source: Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS)1

City-scope median, gross, before tax and social contributions.

What is the unemployment rate in Cardiff?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (2026-03). Source: www.nomisweb.co.uk19

Unemployment across cities in United KingdomUnemployment in Cardiff is 3.3%. Of 999 cities with data, 652 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary3,718 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS)1Official
Unemployment rate3.3 %country median 3.4%27 Aug 2026www.nomisweb.co.uk19Official

What does a salary buy in Cardiff?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Cardiff median gross pay: €3,718 (Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS), 2025-12-31).
Left over each month€1,609of €3,021 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€3,021
Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Table 1: average monthly rent price by local authority · 2026-08-31− €1,375
Internet€24 · official · BT Full Fibre 150 · 2026-09-30− €24
Mobile plan€13 · official · Three 100GB one-month data pack · 2026-09-30− €13
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€1,609
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Cardiff Salary needed to live in Cardiff

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Cardiff. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Jobcentre Plus — Public employment service

Department for Work and Pensions

Job SearchUnemployment Claim
Open official service
Open the United Kingdom service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Cardiff. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public language course providers1 count30 Sept 2026ESOL — ACE Cardiff5Official
Primary schools41 count3 Aug 2026Welsh Government (My Local School)18Official
Schools52 count3 Aug 2026Welsh Government (My Local School)18Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 16, and public school is free.

A country-wide rule for United Kingdom; Cardiff's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: legislation.gov.uk · 1996–2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
GP practices59 count30 Sept 2026ODS GP Practices report (epraccur)7Official
Pharmacies79 count30 Sept 2026ODS Pharmacy/Dispensaries report (edispensary)8Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Cardiff under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

Cardiff's crime rate stood at 9,378.5 incidents per 100,000 residents at the end of 2024.

How safe is Cardiff?

Police recorded about 9,379 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

  • Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 9,379 offences per 100,000 · Office for National Statistics9
Recorded crime across major citiesCardiff highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Cardiff highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Manchester14,267
Bristol13,099
Liverpool12,409
Leeds11,462
Birmingham11,416
Leicester11,001
Sheffield9,693
Cardiff9,379
Belfast9,156
Coventry8,836
Glasgow757
Edinburgh549
MetricValuePeriodSource
Burglaries per 100,000 residents342 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2026PFA tables, year ending March 2026 (Table C2 counts; Table C4 rates and mid-2024 population)14Official
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents9,379 offences per 100,000country median 9,64631 Dec 2024Office for National Statistics9Official
Violent crime per 100,000 residents2,979 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2026PFA tables, year ending March 2026 (Table C2 counts; Table C4 rates and mid-2024 population)14Official

Mobility and administration

Cardiff's nearest airport was CWL, 15 km away and offered 20 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport20 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights12Official
Distance to the nearest major airport15 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)CWL3 Aug 2026OurAirports13Official

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Cardiff?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 8.04 µg/m³ · DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 20254
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in United KingdomAnnual PM2.5 in Cardiff is 8.0 µg/m³. Of 941 cities with data, 487 have annual PM2.5 of 6 to under 7 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean8.04 µg/m³country median 6.531 Dec 2024DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 20254Official

Population and city profile

How many people live in Cardiff?

The published population was 383,919 people in June 2024. Source: ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 — MYE2: Persons by single year of age (All ages totals)10

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Foreign-resident share16.52 %31 Dec 2021Census 2021 (ONS): TS004 Country of birth, local authority districts (api.beta.ons.gov.uk)3Official
Foreign residents59,848 people31 Dec 2021Census 2021 (ONS): TS004 Country of birth, local authority districts (api.beta.ons.gov.uk)3Official
Population383,919 people30 Jun 2024ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 — MYE2: Persons by single year of age (All ages totals)10Official

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Universities2 count3 Aug 2026Medr (Wales)6Official

Alternatives for people set on Cardiff

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Cities near Cardiff

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in United Kingdom

Other cities in United Kingdom to compare with Cardiff, nearest in population first.

All United Kingdom cities
Leicester406,580 residentsCroydon407,821 residentsBelfast352,390 residentsBristol425,215 residentsCoventry344,285 residentsBradford333,950 residents

How does Cardiff compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Cardiff's.

Open the full comparison

Cardiff in rankings

#10 of 30 in Largest cities in United Kingdom #13 of 30 in Highest salary cities in United Kingdom #16 of 21 in Most international cities in United Kingdom

Put Cardiff's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Cardiff?

The published population was 383,919 people in June 2024. Source: ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 — MYE2: Persons by single year of age (All ages totals).

Is the air quality good in Cardiff?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025.

How safe is Cardiff?

Police recorded about 9,379 incidents per 100,000 (2024). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: Office for National Statistics.

What is the typical salary in Cardiff?

The median gross salary is about 3,718 EUR/month (2025). Source: Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS).

What is the unemployment rate in Cardiff?

The unemployment rate is 3.3 % (2026-03). Source: www.nomisweb.co.uk.

How many foreign residents live in Cardiff?

59,848 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Census 2021 (ONS): TS004 Country of birth, local authority districts (api.beta.ons.gov.uk).

Is Cardiff a good place to live?

Cardiff may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Cardiff?

Rhiwbina, Penarth, Dinas Powys, Caerphilly, Abertridwr are near Cardiff. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Cardiff, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version a0a4934d16bef3c8da051fc7b5c1967b]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/cardiff/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_cardiff-united-kingdom-population-rent-salary-jobs_d45d9ccf4a12,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Cardiff, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {a0a4934d16bef3c8da051fc7b5c1967b},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/cardiff/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Cardiff, United Kingdom: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/uk/cardiff/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version a0a4934d16bef3c8da051fc7b5c1967b; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Annual survey of hours and earnings - workplace analysis, NOMIS table NM_99_1 (ONS) nomisweb.co.uk · checked 2026-09-18
  2. BT Full Fibre 150 bt.com · checked 2026-09-15
  3. Census 2021 (ONS): TS004 Country of birth, local authority districts (api.beta.ons.gov.uk) api.beta.ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-17
  4. DEFRA UK air quality statistics — annual mean PM2.5 station tables 2025 DEFRA UK air quality statistics · assets.publishing.service.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-28
  5. ESOL — ACE Cardiff ESOL · acecardiff.org.uk · checked 2026-09-15
  6. Medr (Wales) medr.cymru · checked 2026-08-03
  7. ODS GP Practices report (epraccur) odsdatasearchandexport.nhs.uk · checked 2026-09-15
  8. ODS Pharmacy/Dispensaries report (edispensary) odsdatasearchandexport.nhs.uk · checked 2026-09-15
  9. Office for National Statistics ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-08-04
  10. ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 — MYE2: Persons by single year of age (All ages totals) ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates UK, mid-2024 · ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-18
Show 18 more sources
  1. ONS Price Index of Private Rents, Table 1: average monthly rent price by local authority ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-23
  2. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  3. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  4. PFA tables, year ending March 2026 (Table C2 counts; Table C4 rates and mid-2024 population) ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-18
  5. Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR), UK: monthly price statistics, 16 September 2026 edition ons.gov.uk · checked 2026-09-18
  6. Three 100GB one-month data pack three.co.uk · checked 2026-09-15
  7. Travel to Work Areas (December 2011) full extent boundaries in the United Kingdom services1.arcgis.com · checked 2026-09-19
  8. Welsh Government (My Local School) mylocalschool.gov.wales · checked 2026-08-03
  9. www.nomisweb.co.uk nomisweb.co.uk · checked 2026-08-26
  10. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  13. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  14. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  15. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  16. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  17. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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