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City Comparison · 2026

Cardiff vs Coventry 2026

Wales
Cardiff
Median Salary £32,400
Cost of Living 66/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo
Real Take-Home £24,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 4%
Unemployment 4.4%
VS
West Midlands
Coventry
Median Salary £30,200
Cost of Living 65/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £720/mo
Real Take-Home £23,600/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.8%
Unemployment 5.1%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Cardiff
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Coventry
Lower cost of living index means your money goes further every day.
Highest Headline Salary
Cardiff
Higher median salary before cost of living is taken into account.
Lowest Rent
Coventry
More affordable average rents leave more of your salary in your pocket.
Best for Career Growth
Cardiff
Higher job growth rate and more active job market for ambitious professionals.
Best Overall Value
Cardiff
When salary, cost of living and rent are all considered together.

Top Salaries: Cardiff vs Coventry

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital of Wales and a growing business hub with a strong public sector and emerging technology scene.

Full Cardiff Guide →

Coventry

Coventry is the UK City of Culture 2021 with a strong automotive and manufacturing heritage and two major universities.

Full Coventry Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cardiff

Browse live Cardiff vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Coventry

Browse live Coventry vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Coventry Jobs →

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£52,800 vs £32,400
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£36,500 vs £32,400
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Manchester vs Coventry
£36,500 vs £30,200
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Birmingham vs Coventry
£33,200 vs £30,200
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Edinburgh vs Cardiff
£38,900 vs £32,400
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