Home / Compare / Sheffield vs Cardiff
City Comparison · 2026

Sheffield vs Cardiff 2026

South Yorkshire
Sheffield
Median Salary £30,800
Cost of Living 63/100
Avg Rent (1 bed) £700/mo
Real Take-Home £24,200/yr
Job Growth ↑ 3.5%
Unemployment 4.9%
VS
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%
Verdict

Which City Wins?

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

Sheffield

Sheffield has transformed from a steel city into a centre for advanced manufacturing and digital with very affordable living costs.

Full Sheffield Guide →

Cardiff

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

Full Cardiff Guide →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Sheffield

Browse live Sheffield vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Sheffield Jobs →
Live Jobs

Jobs in Cardiff

Browse live Cardiff vacancies on Reed right now.

Browse Cardiff Jobs →

More Comparisons

London vs Sheffield
£52,800 vs £30,800
Compare →
London vs Cardiff
£52,800 vs £32,400
Compare →
Manchester vs Sheffield
£36,500 vs £30,800
Compare →
Manchester vs Cardiff
£36,500 vs £32,400
Compare →
Birmingham vs Sheffield
£33,200 vs £30,800
Compare →
Edinburgh vs Sheffield
£38,900 vs £30,800
Compare →
All City Comparisons →
Scroll to Top