Nursing in Cardiff: Studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Cardiff - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales.
It’s the base for the Senedd, or Welsh Parliament, and is a city steeped in history and culture. It’s also a great city to relocate to, whatever stage your nursing career is at.
So, from cost of living and travel through to culture and nightlife, this guide offers a great starting point for anyone thinking of relocating to the Welsh capital.
Where do nurses work in Cardiff?
There is a big variety of employers in the Cardiff area, big and small, both within the NHS and private sector, including:
University Hospital of Wales
Cardiff Royal Infirmary
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales
St David’s Hospital
The NHS provides services through a Health Board as well as a Trust in Cardiff, those being Cardiff University And Vale Health Board and Public Health Wales, respectively.
There are many other specialist hospitals, private hospitals, care homes, community health locations and more – all of which offer job opportunities for nurses.
There are hundreds of nursing vacancies in Cardiff on any given day, so you’ll never be short of opportunities.
Where can aspiring nurses study in Cardiff?
For anyone wanting to become a nurse in Cardiff, you can study at Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University or the University of South Wales.
Cardiff University is the largest University in Cardiff and is made up of two large campuses: Cathays Park and Heath Park. Heath Park campus is a dedicated healthcare campus with four academic schools on the same site as the University Hospital of Wales. Courses typically start each September and January.
Furthermore, rental costs, while higher than the rest of Wales, are cheaper than many parts of the UK.
In short, Cardiff is an exceptionally good place to study and train to be a nurse.
Find our nursing university guide here.
Cardiff Metropolitan University was the Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2021, and the University of South Wales is consistently ranked in the top 20 universities in the UK. Cardiff University is ranked number one in Wales and third in the UK, according to The Complete University Guide.
Where do nurses live in Cardiff?
Nurses live all over Cardiff, but here are the most popular locations:
Central Cardiff
Popular with nurses for its exceptional array of amenities and services
Cathays
The older part of Cardiff with many properties privately let to students, it is only a 5-minute walk to Cardiff University main campus and 20 minutes to the University of South Wales
Roath
A little further out from the city centre but well located for university campuses and all kinds of amenities
Heath
A quieter area of the city which is great for families as well as students
There are so many great neighbourhoods in Cardiff, each offering something different. So whether you're looking for a shared student house or an area thats more family-oriented, you'll find something.
What are the living costs for nurses in Cardiff?
Here is a guide to some of the key living costs within Cardiff:
The average price for a home in Cardiff is currently £287,145 – slightly lower than the UK average of £310,000
The average rental price for a property in Cardiff is £1390 per month. But if you are merely looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £500 per a month
Council tax costs vary a lot across the city. But many people across Cardiff are in a Band B property or similar, which currently means paying £1314 per a year – or just under £110 a month
General living costs, for example utility bills, are similar to the rest of the UK.
And, when it comes to free time, dining out and taking in some of the wide variety of entertainment Cardiff has to offer is likely to be more affordable than many other major UK cities, such as Birmingham, London and Bristol.
Is travel easy in Cardiff?
Cardiff has exceptionally good travel links across the UK and beyond. The M4 connects from the north of the city and London is only a 3-hour drive away. Birmingham is just over a 2-hour drive via the M5 and M4, and Bristol is even closer.
Cardiff Airport is in the west of Cardiff (Vale of Glamorgan) and serves over 900 destinations worldwide with direct flights to major cities both domestically and internationally.
Cardiff is less than two hours from London by train with trains every 30 minutes. Cardiff also has direct trains to other major cities across the UK.
What to do in Cardiff: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
Cardiff has lots to offer to fill up your free time.
Culture and attractions
Cardiff Castle, Cardiff City Hall and The Animal Wall are beautiful places to visit in Cardiff city centre where you can discover years of history and architecture. Cardiff Bay is another good place to wander and explore due to its picturesque wharf lined with shops, boutiques and cafes.
There are many parks to visit and walk around in Cardiff such as Bute Park, Roath Park and Rhondda Heritage Park – which traces the history of coal mining in the area. And just outside Cardiff you have all kinds of vast green areas, magnificent countryside and beautiful beaches.
There are many fascinating art galleries and museums across Cardiff too, such as the St Fagans National Museum of History, National Museum Cardiff and Techniquest Science Discovery Centre. There is also the Wales Millennium Centre, the national arts centre for Wales, which hosts a range of live performances from musicals to cabaret.
Cardiff City Football Club compete in the Championship and play their matches at Cardiff City Stadium, which also hosts international matches for Wales. Cardiff Rugby Club play their matches at Cardiff Arms Park while Wales stage international Rugby Union at the Principality Stadium. Glamorgan County Cricket Club is the only first-class county cricket team based in Wales and play their home matches at Sophia Gardens on the banks of the river Taff.
Nightlife and eating out
Cardiff has an excellent choice of bars and restaurants.
Highlights include:
Milkwood - the number one rated restaurant for Cardiff, according to Time Out
Home by James Sommerin- Michelin star restaurant offering a frequently changing seasonal menu
The Alchemist Cardiff- popular due it to underground vault restaurant and creative cocktails
Silures - Arguable the best restaurant in Cardiff, as rated by TripAdvisor reviewers
Of course, this is only a tiny fraction of the choice on offer.
What are the school options in Cardiff?
There are many excellent school options for anyone relocating as a family. There are 98 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and 7 independent private schools in the city, so no shortage of choice.
There are good schools in every corner – and a high number of Ofsted rated outstanding schools too.
Many of the schools in Cardiff teach in English and Welsh, too.
Population and demographics in Cardiff
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Cardiff:
The population in Cardiff is 488,000
The population density is 6,400 people per square mile – the highest density in Wales
Only 10% of the population speak Welsh (Since 1993 road signs have been in English and Welsh under the Welsh Language Act)
Cardiff is the 11th largest city in the UK
In summary: is Cardiff a good place to be a nurse?
Cardiff is a bustling city that’s well connected. Fun whether you’re a student or a family, it combines urban living with lots of natural beauty nearby; it offers a really good balance for most people.
If you're looking into moving to the Welsh capital, you can view nursing vacanies across a wide range of specialisms here.
But it’s also important to consider how its affordability matches up to what the city offers. Here are a couple of examples of how far your money might go in Cardiff:
As a Newly Registered Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a room in a shared house, after all bills and costs you’d still be likely to have somewhere between £500 and £1000 a month in disposable income – which is more than in many of the other major UK cities
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money for a joint mortgage in an average-priced flat – and potentially, enough to buy a flat alone
In short, Cardiff is a great place to live – with lots of career opportunity, lots to do, and some money left in your pocket to enjoy it all.
