Living in Cathays, Cardiff

Monthly rent in GBP (£). First-hand contracts come straight from the landlord or housing company. Second-hand contracts are sublets, and they usually cost more.

Within AffordWhere's Cardiff dataset, a one-bedroom here averages about £890/month — roughly 13% below the city median, and among the more affordable of the 5 areas we track. Two-bedrooms run £1,100 - £1,280/month and three-bedrooms £1,380 - £1,620/month on second-hand contracts. At 10 minutes to the center by walk, it sits about as central as most Cardiff areas in the set. On safety it rates 4/5, among the lower-rated in the city. Based on its rent, commute, and the students, affordable, nightlife tags, it may suit value-conscious renters and students.

Rent figures reflect official statistics compiled January 2026. See data sources.

OpenStreetMap maps Cathays as the nearest rail stop, Cogan Park as nearby green space and Lidl as the nearest supermarket around the Cathays reference point. A school and a pharmacy are also mapped within walking distance. It also shows a large number of cafés and restaurants mapped within about 700m of that point.

Amenity data from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). The extracted amenity dataset is published under the same license.

How much is rent in Cathays, Cardiff?

A 1-bedroom apartment in Cathays costs £810 - £970/month (second-hand contract) or £650 - £780/month (first-hand). A 2-bedroom ranges from £1,100 - £1,280/month, and a 3-bedroom from £1,380 - £1,620/month.

Is Cathays safe for expats?

Cathays has a safety rating of 4/5 (Safe) on our scale. That is one of the higher ratings on the 1-5 scale; as always, check specific streets and visit at different times before signing a lease.

How long is the commute from Cathays to Cardiff center?

The commute from Cathays to Cardiff city center takes approximately 10 minutes by walk.

What is Cathays like to live in?

Student district near Cardiff University. Affordable terraced houses, takeaways, lively nightlife. In our data it is tagged as students, affordable, nightlife.