Living in Cathays

A small neighbourhood with a big personality, Cathays is home to more than 12,000 students. Cathays is a down-to-earth residential area filled with student houses and terraced houses, with the occasional takeaway and pub peppered into the mix. The Cardiff University Student Union is within Cathays and the University itself is only a few minutes walk from the main residential hub so no wonder this area is the number one spot for Cardiff University students living in Cathays.

Area key takeouts

Student Community

Excellent Transport Links

Excellent Amenities

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Cathays in a snapshot

1

Cathays has a rich student population with over half of the area's demographic being in university or further education. Since the area is so densely populated with students, the amenities within the area tailor for the demographic; brunch cafes and cheap pubs and bars are just some of the services available.

2

Travelling to Cathays is easy and stress free, especially if you’re new to the area. The station in the area is a 2 minute walk to Cardiff University, making it super easy to commute or travel. Regular trains from Cathays station go to Welsh destinations such as Cardiff City Centre, Barry Island, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd.

3

There are a number of local parks and places to walk if you want a quieter afternoon away from the city. The biggest park, closest to Cathays is Pontcanna Fields with a number of amenities from flower gardens to local cafes. The River Taff flows through the park towards Cardiff City Centre.

Demographic

Students, Young Professionals, Welcoming, Friendly Community

Attributes

Excellent transport links, Places to walk, Student Union, Restaurants, Cafes, Excellent nightlife

Safety

Cathays crime rate is medium to low on the scale. Since Cathays is a student heavy area, there is a lot of places open till late and student roaming the area late at night. However, to stay safe, try to avoid walking home alone and keep to the busier streets when dark.

Welcome to Cathays

A student heavy neighbourhood, with a mix of restaurants, cool nightlife, excellent residential areas and excellent transport links, these are our top picks for living in Cathays.

Home to Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park

Within Cathays Park is Alexandra Gardens, named after Alexandra of Denmark. The gardens are located within the heart of the park and civic centre and it's a great place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the University campus. Alexandra Gardens is home to 2.5 hectares of flower beds and grass, with the Welsh National War Memorial in the centre. Along with three more gardens, Cathays Park is a great place to visit.

A short walk to the National Museum Cardiff

Founded in 1905, the National Museum Cardiff is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon, exploring the history of the City. It's part museum and part art gallery with lots to see and do. The Museum is free of charge, making it something to do if you're on a budget. It has collections from zoology and geology to botany and fine art with multiple exhibitions to visit too.

Home to the Sherman Theatre

A performing arts venue in the heart of Cathays, close to Cardiff University. The theatre has two main areas, the auditorium with over 400 seats and the studio space with 100 seats, with the entire venue winning multiple awards over the years. The theatre offers a number of different genre of performance from comedy sets and amateur plays to youth workshops.

Cathays

Amenities

Supermarkets
Tesco Express , Lidl , Sainsbury's
Gyms
Cardiff Personal Training Studio , Cardiff University Fitness and Conditioning Centre , Ultimate Fitness Centre

Universities

Cardiff University
University of South Wales, Cardiff Campus
The Open University in Wales

Transport Links

Train Stations
Cathays - Transport for Wales , Cardiff Queen Street - Transport for Wales
Bus Services
8, 9, 9A, 8S, 35, 95

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Cost of living in the area

Monthly Rent Average

House

£1,200

Per month, based on 3 bedroom property

Halls

£591

Per month, dependant on chosen halls

Cost of Bills

Utilities

£55.00

Per Month

Wifi

£15.00

Per Month

Council Tax

£1,065

Per Year

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Connectivity

Fibre Download Speeds

80 Mbps

Fibre Upload Speeds

20 Mbps

5G/4G

Good Coverage

Based on all major phone networks

Other Expenses

Pint of Beer

£3.80

Gym Membership

£16.99

Per Month

Weekly Food Shop

£22.00

The best spots in Cathays

For Coffee

Stag Coffee

A local independent café/restaurant serving freshly brewed coffee and homemade comfort food

For Drinks

Bar 105

A local bar that serves a huge menu of cocktails and bar food

For Food

Calabrisella Cathays

An authentic Italian café and restaurant in the heart of Cathays, serving true Italian cuisine from pizza and pasta to freshly brewed espresso

For Drinks

The Woodville

A bustling pub popular with students, serving craft beers and showing live TV sports

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Frequently asked questions about Cathays

Is Cathays safe?

Cathays crime rate is medium to low on the scale. Cathays is among the top 10  safest small towns in the South Glamorgan region. Since Cathays is a student heavy area, there is a lot of places open till late and student roaming the area late at night. However, to stay safe, try to avoid walking home alone and keep to the busier streets when dark. Due to the area being heavy with students, increased police presence on evenings and weekends is required.

What is renting in Cathays like?

Renting in the student hub of Cathays is super simple. There are tons of student halls in the area for the number of Universities in the area, and there's also a good amount of different student houses on offer too. Cathays house prices differ with the number of rooms/tenants in each property but the area is generally a cheaper place for students to rent their first uni house. You can check out student halls and houses in Cathays on the Resooma website too, where you can find the perfect student property for you.

What is transport like in Cathays?

Students in Cathays have a number of ways to travel, quickly and safety.  In the heart of Cathays is the train station which goes to a number of places within Wales; Cardiff City Centre, Barry Island, Pontypridd, Cardiff Bay and Merthyr Tydfil. Cathays Train Station is right next door to Cardiff University and Cardiff University accommodation, so if your trains running late and you need to get to a lecture, don't worry! Cathays also has a great bus service with the map spanning the whole of Cardiff and beyond. A number of bus services run through Cathays, frequently throughout the day.

What is student life like in Cathays?

Cathays has transformed into almost a student village with the majority of residents being students or young people. The areas properties are mainly house shares or student accommodation halls since Cardiff University is so close by. Cathays has a huge amount of student tailored amenities from nightclubs and bars to trendy brunch places.

Letting agents in Cathays

Student Roost

1 properties on resooma

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Jeffrey Ross

36 properties on resooma

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Resooma

11 properties on resooma

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2Let2

1 properties on resooma

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Collegiate AC

1 properties on resooma

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Keylet

4 properties on resooma

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Neighbouring areas to Cathays