2014 Cost of living in Wales

Hi there! I am leaving Wales after arriving 10 years ago as a fresh-faced 18 year old undergraduate, when the cost of living (at the time I thought was absurd but I was a student supporting myself with part time employment and student finance) was considerably much cheaper than it is now... hence my departure for travels and working abroad. To give you an example- in 2005/06 I rented a room in a massive house of 7 others in a student suburb out of the city centre. The room was quite tiny, in a converted Victorian house, £280pcm plus bills. I have seen that in 2014 a similar room in a similar house along the same street now goes for £320-50pcm. One bed flats (from a stock of converted houses), decent looking (not dirty or poorly maintained) you will struggle to get for under £550pcm. Studio flats are generally between the £400-450. 6 years on from graduating, I now share half the rent of a two bed house 3 miles from the centre (non student area). It's £725pcm for two beds (second smaller than my unit room). When I was a student I could go out for a night in the centre with £30 including taxi fare home . Nowadays, as a professional 6 years on I am barely  able to afford two 'nights out' in a month in the centre. Beer pints are on average just under £4, cocktails are from £6 onwards unless there's a promo. A supermarket own brand tin of tuna back in 2005 cost me 32p. The same brand/quality now costs 95p. I look back to my student days and I think how better I lived as a student than I do as a decent wage earning professional. Hope that helps. Cardiff is a wonderful city, it is my home. Cost of living is do-able but don't expect miracles. The towns around the city a less attractive but much cheaper. Cardiff is also considerably cheaper than other UK cities too.