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City Comparison · 2026

Cardiff vs Inverness 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
Scottish Highlands
Inverness
Median Salary £30,000
Cost of Living 70/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £800/mo
Real Take-Home £22,800/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.5%
Unemployment 3.8%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

Best Real-Terms Salary
Cardiff
Best take-home pay after accounting for rent and cost of living.
Best for Affordability
Cardiff
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
Cardiff
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 Inverness

Cardiff

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

Full Cardiff Guide →

Inverness

Inverness is the capital of the Scottish Highlands with strong healthcare and public sector employment and growing tourism and energy sectors.

Full Inverness Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cardiff

Browse live Cardiff vacancies on Reed right now.

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Live Jobs

Jobs in Inverness

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