Nursing in Swansea: studying, working, and living guide
Find out about nursing in Swansea - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Swansea, located on the beautiful coastline of the south-west of the country, is the second largest city in Wales. It is known for its sandy beaches and seaside charm.
For nurses and their families, or nursing students, Swansea could be a good place to live, work and study.
This guide is for nurses and students interested in relocating to Swansea, and includes helpful information about the city, covering places to work and study, as well as cost of living and local culture.
Where do nurses work in Swansea?
There are many employers of nurses in Swansea, whether you’re looking to work for the NHS or a private healthcare provider. This includes:
Singleton Hospital
Morriston Hospital
Gorseinon Hospital – Rehabilitation Hospital
HMT Sancta Maria Hospital – Private Hospital
Most of the hospitals in the city are run by the Swansea Bay University Health Board, which currently employs about 12,500 staff.
There are also community healthcare facilities and care homes in Swansea. These care homes cater to a range of medical conditions and ages. As well as Registered Nurses, employers are always looking for carers and healthcare assistants.
Where can aspiring nurses study in Swansea?
For would-be nurses looking for a University in Swansea, you can train and study at Swansea University or the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
Swansea University offers a brilliant choice of nursing courses, with start dates March and September. The university has two campuses: Singleton Park campus, the base for nursing courses, and Bay Campus. Swansea University is known for its outstanding reputation for nursing and is ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for nursing and 1st in the UK Graduate Prospects (The Complete University Guide 2023).
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David also offers a great range of nursing courses with start dates in September. It has three main campuses: Carmarthen, Lampeter, and Swansea as well as locations in London and Birmingham, and a learning centre in Cardiff.
Find our nursing university guide here.
The average monthly rental cost for a flat in Swansea is around £1083 per a month, cheaper than nearby Cardiff and much more affordable than cities like Bristol and London.
Where do nurses live in Swansea?
There are some great neighbourhoods in Swansea waiting for nursing students and nurses to move in! These include:
Swansea Town Centre
Popular with nurses and students due to its wide range of amenities and central location.
Derwen Fawr
Another good area to live in due to its variety of shops and amenities as well as being in the preferred school catchment area.
The Mumbles
A charming location for nurses and their families if they enjoy the seaside; it also has a great selection of shops.
Uplands
An up-and-coming suburb just a mile from the city centre that is fast becoming a popular area for students, with its wide variety of shops, bars, and restaurants.
What are the living costs for nurses in Swansea?
Swansea is an affordable place for nurses to live in the UK. Here is a broad guide to some of the different costs of living in the city.
The average price for a home in Swansea is currently £197,417 which is lower than the UK national average of £310,000.
The average rental price for a property in Swansea is £1083 per month. But if you are merely looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £450 per a month.
Council tax costs vary a lot across the city. But many people in Swansea are in a Band B property or similar, which currently means paying £1,472 per a year or £122 a month.
Bills like shopping and utilities are priced along the same lines to the rest of the UK.
Swansea is about 20% cheaper than both Cardiff and London, so the cost of leisure activities won’t leave you out of pocket.
Is travel easy in Swansea?
There are multiple ways to travel in and around Swansea. By car, the M4 motorway provides useful links to the city, whilst Cardiff is just under a 60-minute drive. You can reach London in just under three and a half hours. The area also has good links to the north-west of England via the A483/A48.
Swansea is well connected by trains. There is a high-speed train (First Great Western Trains) to and from London. London to Swansea is just over 3 hours by train, and trains to West Wales, the Midlands and the South West run regularly.
The closest airport is Cardiff Airport, just 44 miles away. It has direct connections to major cities both domestically and internationally.
What to do in Swansea: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
There are lots of worthwhile and interesting places to visit while in Swansea. Depending on your interests and where you want to spend your free time, the city has an array of attractions to enjoy.
Culture and attractions
One of the best days out is a visit to Plantasia Tropical Zoo, a fantastic place for nurses and their families regardless of age. It provides a fully immersive adventure, allowing visitors to get up and personal with its wide variety of animals and plants.
There are many entertainment venues across Swansea such as Swansea Jazz Club, Swansea Arena, and The Bunkhouse Bar and Music Venue. These support the local and international music and entertainment scene. The annual Swansea International Festival is a highlight each October with numerous concerts and cultural events.
Within the city there are many interesting museums and galleries to visit including the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea Museum, and Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. For those with literary interests, there is the Dylan Thomas Centre. The venue houses an exhibition that explores the life and legacy of the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas; it also hosts community events.
Swansea has many beautiful green spaces to explore during your free time, including Clyne Gardens, a botanical garden, and the Gower Peninsula - the UK’s first area of Outstanding Natural beauty. Mumbles Pier/Swansea Bay and Swansea Castle are further must-visit attractions.
Swansea City Association Football Club play in the EFL Championship with home games staged at Swansea.com Stadium, which is also the home of the Ospreys Rugby Union side.
Nightlife and eating out
Swansea has lots of nightlife options which include restaurants, bars and clubs. Highlights include:
Truffle Restaurant, Swansea's number one restaurant according to TripAdvisor.
Slice, a Michelin star restaurant serving delicious food cooked using fresh locally sourced ingredients.
Bambu Beach Bar, Swansea’s party destination with a reputation as a thriving nightlife hub.
Peppermint Bar, which offers a range of sophisticated cocktails and award-winning wines and ales.
There is plenty to see and do in Swansea for a great price!
What are the school options in Swansea?
Deciding where to send your children to school is a difficult decision, but thankfully Swansea has options for all levels and requirements.
There are 79 primary schools and 15 secondary schools accepting pupils in the city.
In Wales, schools are inspected by a board called Estyn; they are currently reviewing their grading procedures.
There are lots of school options for your families in Swansea and surrounding areas, no matter your school preferences.
Population and demographics in Swansea
Here are some of the main population and demographic facts in Swansea:
The population in Swansea is 246,217.
The population density is 630 people per square mile.
Swansea is the second largest city in Wales.
One in six people in Swansea speaks Welsh.
In summary: is Swansea a good place to be a nurse?
Swansea could be an ideal location for nurses: it is affordable, has a great seaside location, and offers something for everyone when it comes to things to see and do.
Travel is relatively easy, no matter if you’re heading to another UK destination or catching a flight for a well-deserved holiday.
The average salary for Nurses in Swansea is £37,000, and the overall living costs in Swansea are lower than many parts of the UK. This means your salary will go further.
Here are a couple of examples:
As a Newly Qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a room in a shared house, you would still have more than £1300 left in your pocket each month for everything else. Your disposable income in London and Greater Manchester would barely reach half of this figure.
As a Band 6 nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to buy a joint share in an average-priced flat in Swansea.
As a nursing student or nurse in Swansea, you will have an affordable and lively place to call home.
