Home / Compare / Cardiff vs Wigan
City Comparison · 2026

Cardiff vs Wigan 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
Greater Manchester
Wigan
Median Salary £28,000
Cost of Living 61/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £620/mo
Real Take-Home £22,400/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.2%
Unemployment 5.2%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Cardiff

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

Full Cardiff Guide →

Wigan

Wigan is a major town in Greater Manchester with strong manufacturing and logistics sectors and very affordable living costs.

Full Wigan Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cardiff

Browse live Cardiff vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Cardiff Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Wigan

Browse live Wigan vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Wigan Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Cardiff
£52,800 vs £32,400
Compare →
London vs Wigan
£52,800 vs £28,000
Compare →
Manchester vs Cardiff
£36,500 vs £32,400
Compare →
Manchester vs Wigan
£36,500 vs £28,000
Compare →
Birmingham vs Wigan
£33,200 vs £28,000
Compare →
Edinburgh vs Cardiff
£38,900 vs £32,400
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top