Cardiff () and London (London) are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Cardiff rates 77/100 (grade B) and London rates 71/100 (grade B). Cardiff is the safer of the two on crime (72/100 versus 56/100). London has the stronger schools, with 67% of nearby schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. London works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£322 versus ~£376). The full side-by-side breakdown of crime, schools, transport, affordability, broadband, environment and healthcare is below, followed by our verdict on which area fits which kind of buyer.
Cardiff vs London: Category Comparison
Our Verdict
Cardiff and London are closely matched overall. Cardiff performs better in crime safety and schools, while London has the advantage in transport and affordability. Your ideal choice depends on which factors matter most to your lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cardiff or London better to live in?
Cardiff and London are closely matched overall. Cardiff performs better in crime safety and schools, while London has the advantage in transport and affordability. Your ideal choice depends on which factors matter most to your lifestyle.
Is Cardiff safer than London?
Cardiff scores higher for crime safety (72/100) compared to London (56/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.
Which has better schools, Cardiff or London?
Cardiff has 0 schools within 3km, with 0% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. London has 15 schools nearby, with 67% rated Good or Outstanding.
Is it cheaper to live in Cardiff or London?
Estimated monthly bills are lower in London (~£322/month) compared to Cardiff (~£376/month). Bills include council tax, energy, water, broadband, and insurance estimates.
Data sources: Scores are estimated using pre-loaded data from MHCLG Indices of Deprivation, Ofsted/GIAS school ratings, DfT Transport Connectivity 2025, MHCLG council tax data, Ofgem energy price cap, and regional averages. For full live data from 20+ government sources, view the individual town reports. Data provided under the Open Government Licence v3.0.