Salary Equivalence · London → Cardiff · 2026

What does £55,000 in London
equal in Cardiff?

Based on cost-of-living indices (London 100 vs Cardiff 64, London = 100), £55,000 in London has the same purchasing power as approximately £35,200 in Cardiff. Cardiff is 36% cheaper overall.

London salary
£55,000
COL index 100
Cardiff equivalent
£35,200
COL index 64
COL difference
36%
Cardiff is cheaper
Equivalent purchasing power in Cardiff
£35,200
= £55,000 in London after cost-of-living adjustment
based on COL index 100 → 64 (London = 100)

Cost Comparison — London vs Cardiff

Metric London Cardiff Difference
COL index 100 64 −36 pts
1-bed rent £2,050/mo £900/mo −£1,150/mo
Monthly rent saving — — £1,150/mo
Annual rent saving — — £13,800/yr

COL indices from Numbeo 2025 (London = 100). Rent = Rightmove Q4 2025 median for a 1-bed flat.

Relocation Financial Impact

Moving from London to Cardiff saves £1,150/month on rent alone (£2,050 → £900/mo).

£13,800/yr
annual housing saving

You can accept up to 36% salary reduction and maintain your lifestyle. Any offer above £35,200 in Cardiff is a real-terms pay rise.

Other Salary Points — London → Cardiff

£50,000 → £32,000 £60,000 → £38,400 £65,000 → £41,600

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Frequently Asked Questions

What salary in Cardiff matches £55,000 in London? +
£35,200 in Cardiff provides the same purchasing power as £55,000 in London. This is based on London's COL index of 100 vs Cardiff's 64 (London = 100, Numbeo 2025). The 36% cost difference translates directly to a 36% lower equivalent salary.
Is Cardiff significantly cheaper than London? +
Cardiff is 36% cheaper overall than London. The most visible difference is rent: London averages £2,050/month for a 1-bed flat vs £900/month in Cardiff — a saving of £1,150/month (£13,800/year).
How is the salary equivalence calculated? +
SalaryDex uses city-level cost-of-living indices from Numbeo 2025, normalised so London = 100. The formula is: equivalent = salary × (cityB COL ÷ cityA COL). For this page: £55,000 × (64 ÷ 100) = £35,200. The index captures overall cost differences including rent, food, transport, utilities and services. It does not account for individual tax positions or lifestyle choices.
Should I accept a lower salary to move from London to Cardiff? +
Financially, yes — up to 36% less. Any offer above £35,200 in Cardiff is a real-terms pay rise compared to your London salary of £55,000. You'd also save £1,150/month on rent alone, giving you more disposable income despite a lower nominal salary.

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