There are so many choices to make when becoming a student – picking the right university is only one part of the jigsaw puzzle. Once you’ve secured your place, you’ll need to start thinking about where you’re going to live, as well as what type of student accommodation you’re going to live in. However, you’ll probably want to do a bit of background research into Cardiff before picking where you’ll live for the next year or three – you need to know the best areas to live in Cardiff!
When picking accommodation, the first step is making sure you’re in the right part of town. Because what counts as ‘right’ will differ from person to person, doing some research of your own – whether it’s on the internet or in person – is a really smart idea. Several things may be important to you, such as living in accommodation located close to Cardiff University, having easy transport links to other areas of the city, being near bars/nightclubs or simply living in a lovely student house (even if that does mean you’re a little further out). We’ve put together a guide for students to help dissect these questions to make sure you end up in one of the best areas to live in Cardiff.
Cardiff is a brilliant place to live, especially for students, and there are several reasons why. For one, it’s incredibly affordable. There are a few different areas of Cardiff, but what they all tend to have in common are low house prices and rent costs. In fact, rents in Cardiff are more than 60% below that of Greater London, according to Rightmove.
Despite these low prices, students and other private renters in Cardiff won’t be short of things to do. There are vast swathes of shops, pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs, along with other cultural buildings like the National Theatre, Millenium Centre and Principality Stadium. There are also plenty of areas for walks and picnics, with an impressive 8% of Cardiff’s inner-city land area being publically accessible green spaces. All in all, the wider Cardiff area boasts over 330 parks and gardens!
So, we feel confident in saying that there are several desirable areas of Cardiff, all of which answer the question ‘Is Cardiff a good place to live?’ with a resounding yes! With all that being said, let’s check out the best areas to live in Cardiff for students.
When thinking about the best areas to live in Cardiff for students, Cathays tends to be the go-to area for student accommodation options. With accommodation located close to Cardiff University, living in Cathays will put you within a 5-minute walk of Cardiff University’s main campus.
Cathays is a hotbed for student living, thanks to being stocked up with pubs, bars and restaurants that are geared towards students, all of which offer very affordable prices. You can head out to lectures at 9am, having rolled out of bed 5 minutes earlier and grab a Magic Wrap sandwich on the way. On the return journey, who could say no to a quick bite to eat and a pint at the Woodville pub – a true staple for Cardiff University students.
Cathays is mainly made up of terraced housing, making it ideal for student house sharing with rows of houses located out the back of the Student Union – you couldn’t get any closer to the university if you tried! While Cathays is undoubtedly one of the best areas to live in Cardiff for students in terms of convenience, just be aware that it tends to remain lively and noisy throughout the night and during the day.
Bordering Cathays, Roath is a little further out from the city centre. Although it’s not quite as ideally located for Cardiff University accommodation as Cathays, it’s still a hotbed of activity for those studying at Cardiff Metropolitan. Albany Road is the main road within Roath that provides the area’s heart and soul, with several shops and takeaways dotted along it. Further down, Wellfield Road contains a handful of lip-smackingly delicious restaurants.
Roath is a vibrant neighbourhood with its own park. This provides a great location for those looking to get out for some fresh air, chill with their mates or go a quick jog around the lake.
It’s around a 20-minute walk for Cardiff University students to lectures but the convenient trade-off of this slightly longer walk is slightly cheaper rental options. For Cardiff Met students studying at Cyncoed, the Met Cardiff Rider bus service offers quick and easy transport links that travel directly to the relevant campus. Talk about seriously convenient student transport.
Heath is a little further out still than the likes of Cathays and Roath. With that being said, Heath is still one of the best areas to live in Cardiff for students, providing a great option for final year students, or just those who are looking for a quieter life that’s slightly away from the daily hubbub of Cathays. Heath has accommodation near the university’s Heath Park Campus, so is naturally perfect for those studying healthcare-related courses.
Despite being further out, it is only a mile or so from the city centre. Cardiff’s excellent public transport means that there are good bus routes that can take you into town.
The Cardiff city centre has totally changed over the last 5 years or so and now offers students some amazing residences to choose from. Whether you have a little more budget to play with, so are looking at a private flat, or are interested in one of Cardiff’s new luxury student blocks, there are some great student accommodation options near Cardiff University.
One of the most popular student accommodation options in the Cardiff city centre is Eclipse, a private student hall with an onsite gym, bar, games room and more. Similarly, Bridge Street Exchange is another seriously popular student accommodation option close by. The location of Bridge Street is amazing, being right next to St. David’s Shopping Centre. This range of options is what makes the city centre one of the best areas to live in Cardiff for students.
Yes, it’s the district that sounds funnier the more you say it. Splott – out to the east of the city and bordering the shoreline of the Seven Estuary – isn’t quite as student focused as its northern counterparts. The area has long had a reputation for being a little bigger than the sum of its parts, mainly due to its memorable name.
As student life goes, living in Adamsdown (which is very close to Splott) will place you near the Trevithick building, home to the Schools of Engineering, Physics & Astronomy, and Computer Science. Rent here is a little cheaper and you’ll also be close to the Splott Warehouse which was a brilliant venue for mass gatherings and raves (or the occasion colour party). With that said, the normalities of student life are few and far between, with limited bars, cafes, and restaurants in the area.
Cardiff Bay was once a multicultural dockland and home to a red-light district – how things have changed since then. The bay area has undergone impressive regeneration, making it one of the best places to live in Cardiff. For students however, it’s quite far out so may only be a viable option for those with their own personal transport. Accommodation tends to be taken by young professionals and as a result is slightly more expensive than the student-majority areas.
Canton is a short bus ride or a fairly reasonable 30-minute walk from Cardiff University. Canton is a great area which is most popular with post-grad students, given its quieter and more civilised way of life. Slightly older crowds also tend to prefer Canton because of its proximity to city centre amenities like the Millennium Stadium, along with a strong range of chic cafes, bars and restaurants.
Accommodation might be slightly more expensive in Canton, but for those who are starting to veer towards a more professional lifestyle, it’s a superb choice.
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