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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cardiff safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 72.5/1k) — above the United Kingdom average of 61/100. Here's how Cardiff compares to cities in Wales and what the data means for everyday life.
Cardiff safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 72.5/1k) — above the United Kingdom average of 61/100. Here's how Cardiff compares to cities in Wales and what the data means for everyday life.
Cardiff: cost index 96 (-7 vs national avg 103), rent £940/month.
Wales region average cost index: 103. Cardiff is -7 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 62, healthcare 72, walkability 72.
Safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 72.5/1k). National average: 61/100.
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Cardiff has a cost index of 96 — 7 points below the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £32,600 with rent at £940/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
But here's the flip side: looking at Wales as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 7 points on the cost index. Manchester sits at the other end with index 103 and rent of £1,080/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Cardiff scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (72), and walkability (72) metrics. Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | QoL | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 | 62 | 62 |
| 2 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 | 64 | 76 |
| 3 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 | 61 | 74 |
| 4 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 | 64 | 72 |
| 5 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 | 65 | 72 |
| 6 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 | 58 | 70 |
| 7 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 | 65 | 70 |
| 8 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 | 62 | 68 |
| 9 | Reading | 124 | £1,300 | £40,000 | 56 | 65 |
| 10 | Plymouth | 97 | £870 | £31,000 | 63 | 65 |
| 11 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 | 61 | 63 |
| 12 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 | 57 | 62 |
| 13 | Swansea | 87 | £720 | £29,500 | 66 | 62 |
| 14 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 | 56 | 60 |
| 15 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 | 65 | 60 |
| 16 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 | 62 | 60 |
| 17 | London | 142 | £2,000 | £42,500 | 56 | 58 |
| 18 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 | 59 | 58 |
| 19 | Coventry | 94 | £880 | £30,500 | 56 | 56 |
| 20 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 | 63 | 56 |
Cardiff — cost index 96, rent £940/mo, income £32,600, QoL 62/100.
York — cost index 107, rent £1,080/mo, income £34,700, QoL 64/100.
Cambridge — cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000, QoL 61/100.
Exeter — cost index 106, rent £1,020/mo, income £32,600, QoL 64/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Cardiff has a safety score of 62/100 and a crime rate of 72.5/1,000 residents. The United Kingdom average safety score is 61/100.
The Wales region of average QoL score is 60/100. Cardiff leads with 62/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include ONS, Land Registry, HMRC.
Cardiff: cost index 96, rent £940/mo, income £32,600/yr, QoL 62/100. York: cost index 107, rent £1,080/mo, income £34,700/yr, QoL 64/100.
This analysis uses data from ONS, Land Registry, HMRC to rank cities in United Kingdom. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.