Cost of Living Comparison Between Swansea and Cardiff 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Cardiff is 3.7% higher than in Swansea (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Cardiff is 11.0% higher than in Swansea | |
| Rent Prices in Cardiff are 37.6% higher than in Swansea | |
| Restaurant Prices in Cardiff are 8.5% higher than in Swansea | |
| Groceries Prices in Cardiff are 1.8% higher than in Swansea | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Cardiff is 8.3% lower than in Swansea | |
Restaurants | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | £16.00 | £15.00 | -6.2 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | £44.00 | £63.50 | +44.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | £8.00 | £7.50 | -6.2 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | £4.50 | £5.25 | +16.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £5.03 | £4.50 | -10.4 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | £3.62 | £3.42 | -5.6 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | £1.73 | £2.14 | +23.8 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | £0.93 | £1.50 | +61.6 % |
Markets | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | £1.00 | £1.42 | +42.0 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | £1.39 | £1.11 | -20.5 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | £0.68 | £0.75 | +9.6 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | £2.45 | £3.01 | +22.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | £2.49 | £3.28 | +31.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | £2.84 | £3.04 | +7.0 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | £4.54 | £4.83 | +6.4 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | £0.66 | £0.94 | +42.2 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | £0.43 | £0.52 | +21.1 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | £0.81 | £1.04 | +28.8 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | £1.17 | £1.11 | -5.6 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | £0.64 | £0.67 | +3.9 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | £0.80 | £0.52 | -34.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | £0.97 | £0.81 | -16.3 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | £2.62 | £1.15 | -56.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | £8.00 | £8.32 | +4.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | £1.90 | £2.32 | +22.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | £2.98 | £2.45 | -17.8 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | £17.75 | £16.68 | -6.1 % |
Transportation | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | £3.00 | £2.45 | -18.3 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | £72.00 | £60.00 | -16.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | £3.00 | £3.50 | +16.7 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | £3.22 | £2.06 | -36.0 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | £25.00 | £27.00 | +8.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | £1.40 | £1.44 | +2.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | £28,895.00 | £28,895.00 | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | £30,598.33 | £30,627.50 | +0.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | £231.75 | £233.35 | +0.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | £11.14 | £19.49 | +74.9 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | £32.75 | £32.56 | -0.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | £26.25 | £24.50 | -6.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | £11.50 | £8.72 | -24.2 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | £7.50 | £7.88 | +5.0 % |
Childcare | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | £1,100.00 | £1,511.11 | +37.4 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | ? | £24,500.00 | |
Clothing And Shoes | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | £67.50 | £71.87 | +6.5 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | £36.25 | £36.40 | +0.4 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | £90.00 | £85.79 | -4.7 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | £63.00 | £74.06 | +17.6 % |
Rent Per Month | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £775.75 | £935.67 | +20.6 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £602.00 | £827.67 | +37.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | £960.00 | £1,644.44 | +71.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | £968.00 | £1,141.60 | +17.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | £251.76 | £376.87 | +49.7 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | £193.34 | £242.40 | +25.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | Swansea Edit |
Cardiff Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | £2,311.05 | £2,351.77 | +1.8 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.80 | 5.11 | -12.0 % |
| Last update: | 4 May 2026 | 14 May 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 11 | 26 | |
Moving to Swansea? Explore:
Moving to Cardiff? Explore:
Cities near Swansea: | Cost of Living in Cardiff | 42.35 miles |
| Cost of Living in Brecon | 43.79 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newport | 51.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bristol | 80.84 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bath | 92.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gloucester | 99.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cheltenham | 108.05 miles |
| Cost of Living in Swindon | 109.11 miles |
| Cost of Living in Worcester | 118.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Yeovil | 121.93 miles |
Cities near Cardiff: | Cost of Living in Newport | 14.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Swansea | 41.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bristol | 44.37 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bath | 56.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Gloucester | 62.55 miles |
| Cost of Living in Cheltenham | 70.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Swindon | 72.65 miles |
| Cost of Living in Worcester | 82.35 miles |
| Cost of Living in Yeovil | 85.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Tiverton, England | 98.19 miles |