Cost of Living in Wales: A Comprehensive Guide on Wales’s Expense

Wales is situated in the southwest region of Great Britain. It is famous for its mountainous national parks, rugged coastline, and Celtic culture. The average cost of living in Wales is around 807.5 GBP per month. In addition, the average cost of rent in Wales is approximately 1,143.75 GBP per month around the city centre.

Universities in Wales welcome around 22,000 international students from over 135 countries and have plenty to offer, from first-class education to sport and adventure. In this blog post, we will give you an overview of the cost of living in Wales in various parameters, such as rent, food, education, transportation, utilities, and many others. So, let’s dive into our discussion without any further delay.

Cost of Living in Wales for International Students

Wales is a country that offers great values and opportunities to its students because of the lower cost of living in Wales. It is a very famous destination for international students, especially when it comes to paying fees, renting accommodations, and shopping.

The cost of living in Wales is approximately two to three times cheaper than in London. Here, we have given the general breakdown of the average cost of living in Wales in various categories for the immigrants who wish to move here, such as cost of rent, utilities, grocery, transportation, tuition fees, and other expenses:

Cost of Rent in Wales: 

The average cost of rent in Wales for a single person is around 807.5 GBP, excluding rent in the city centre. The cost of rent in Wales depends on your chosen budget and lifestyle. Below the table, we have given the average apartment rent in the city and out of the city of Wales:

Apartment Location	Approx Monthly Rent
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	1,143.75 GBP
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	907.14 GBP
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	1,875.00 GBP
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	1,300.00 GBP

Also Read: Cost of Living in Stuttgart: A Comprehensive Guide on Stuttgart’s Expense

Cost of Grocery in Wales:

The average cost of groceries in Wales is very low. It can cost you around 74 GBP, including the cost of bread, milk, water, vegetables, fruits and other items. These grocery costs can impact the cost of living in Wales as it is a part of daily expenses. Below we have given a list of a few grocery items with their cost available in Wales: 

Grocery Item	Approx Cost
Milk (regular), (1 litre)	1.23 GBP
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)	1.12 GBP
Rice (white), (1kg)	1.96 GBP
Eggs (regular) (12)	3.44 GBP
Apples (1kg)	2.61 GBP
Banana (1kg)	1.14 GBP
Oranges (1kg)	2.99 GBP
Tomato (1kg)	3.45 GBP
Potato (1kg)	1.01 GBP
Onion (1kg)	0.87 GBP
Lettuce (1 head)	0.84 GBP
Water (1.5 litre bottle)	0.99 GBP
meat, egg, drinks and other items	50.04 GBP

Cost of Utilities in Wales

The Basic Cost of Utility in Wales is relatively low compared to the cost of living in Wales, which can cost a person around 310 GBP /month. This utility cost in expenses may include electricity, gas, a mobile plan, and internet. We have given the Cost of Utilities in Wales for your reference:

Utility Type	Monthly Cost
Basic Utility for 85m2 Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage)	271.90 GBP
Monthly Plan of Mobile Phone (with Calls & 10GB+ Data)	11.11 GBP
Internet (60+ Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	28.00 GBP

Cost of Transportation in Wales

You can travel around Wales by train, bus, or car, which is easy. There are two major train lines in south and west Wales. The monthly transportation cost is around 55.00 GBP per month for local city transport, which comes under the overall cost of living in Wales. Below, we have given an overview of various modes of transportation with their fare costs:

Mode of Transport	Monthly Cost
One-way Ticket(Local Transport)	2.20 GBP
Monthly Pass(Regular Price)	55.00 GBP
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)	3.00 GBP
Taxi 1km(Normal Tariff)	1.18 GBP
Taxi 1 hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)	15.00 GBP
Gasoline (1 litre)	1.59 GBP

Also Read: Cost of Living in Scotland: A Guide on Expected Expenses

Average Tuition Fees in Wales 

Wales is known for its passion for education and has eight universities offering the UK higher education. Half of Wales’ universities ranked within the top 500 universities in the Times Higher World University Rankings last year. Moreover, these universities offer lower average tuition Fees in Wales.

If you make up your mind to move to Wales for higher education, the important thing for you is to calculate the average tuition fees in Wales’s Universities along with the cost of living in Wales. For your reference, in the table below, we have given the average tuition fee along with the program and university names:

University in Wales	Programs offered by the universities in Wales	Average Tuition Fees (Approximate)
Cardiff University	Medicine, Social Sciences, Business, Engineering, and more	19,250 GBP to 25000 GBP
Swansea University	Social Sciences, Medicine, Humanities, Engineering, and more	around 9000 GBP
Aberystwyth University	Business, Humanities, Social Sciences, IT, and more	16,000 GBP to 19,000 GBP
Bangor University	Modern Languages, Education, Biology, Environmental Sciences, Healthcare, Psychology, and more	16,000 GBP to 19,000 GBP
Cardiff Metropolitan University	Business, Hospitality, Health, Education, and more	14,000 GBP to 17,500GBP

Things to Consider Before Moving to Wales

While finalising the cost of living in Wales, a person should consider various significant things while moving to Wales for higher studies or a job. Expats have plenty of options to excel academically, live, be healthy and have fun in Wales. Some of the things to consider before moving to Wales are given below:

Health System in Wales

Wales has a top-notch health system and provides free healthcare to residents of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. People coming from other countries have to pay a 470 GBP to 624 GBP per year surcharge for healthcare while submitting immigration paperwork.

Weather in Wales

Wales has a windy, cloudy, and humid climate. However, the temperatures are relatively mild in both winters and summers. The average temperature rarely drops below 26°F to 79°F, so you do not need to pay extra for air conditioning in Wales.

Work-life Balance with Wales Environment

With an affordable Cost of living in Wales, you can expect to have a work-life balance. Most residential areas provide decent amenities for immigrants, whether they are students, employed, or with family. Even the property prices in Wales are lower compared to most areas in the UK.

Great Work Opportunities in Wales

Wales is a great place to live and work. Its talented and hardworking workforce, inventive businesses, and entrepreneurial spirit foster ideas and technologies in diverse sectors, such as life sciences, renewable energy, semiconductor products, fintech, and cyber security. This means you can have a leisurely life experience and affordable living costs in Wales.

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FAQs

So, this was all about the cost of living in Wales. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.