How much do you need to earn to live in Cardiff? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for U.K.'s tax system.
You need at least £1,741/month gross to live in Cardiff on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for £2,166/month gross (£1,787 net after ~18% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | £810 Cheapest neighborhood (Cathays) | £1,020 Median neighborhood | £1,210 Premium neighborhood (Pontcanna) |
| Groceries | £230 | £276 | £345 |
| Transport | £65 | £65 | £65 |
| Utilities | £228 | £228 | £228 |
| Dining & Entertainment | £165 | £198 | £248 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | £1,498 | £1,787 | £2,096 |
£1,741/month gross
£2,166/month gross
£2,620/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 5 neighborhoods in Cardiff
Cathays
10 min by walk
£810 - £970
Roath
12 min by bus
£900 - £1,070
Canton
10 min by bus
£940 - £1,100
Pontcanna
10 min by walk
£1,120 - £1,300
City Centre
0 min by walk
£1,000 - £1,180
Canton
10 min by bus
£940 - £1,100
See all 5 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore CardiffEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after U.K.'s income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least £1,741/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Cardiff. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for £2,166/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for U.K..
The average 1-bedroom rent across 5 neighborhoods in Cardiff is approximately £1,039/month. Rents range from £810 in Cathays to £1,300 in Pontcanna.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Cardiff cost approximately £230. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in U.K. are progressive. At the budget salary level of £1,741/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 14%. At the comfortable level of £2,166/month, it rises to approximately 18%. This includes income tax and social contributions.