Blogs > A snapshot of UK Cities

A Snapshot into.. Swansea

• June 07, 2021

Swansea is a coastal City and County located in the South of Wales. The City itself is the second largest in Wales after Cardiff, with a population of around 245,000. Much of the coast is an area of outstanding beauty, attracting a significant number of tourists year-round.

Swansea Bay University Health Board

The Swansea Bay University Health Board delivers NHS healthcare for the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot areas through their community-based services and three main hospitals. Swansea Bay UHB covers a population of around 390,000 in the Neath Port Talbot and Swansea areas and we have a budget of around £1bn. The health board employs approximately 12,500 staff.

The HealthBoard has 3 main Acute Hospitals:
1) Morriston Hospital
2) Singleton Hospital
3) Neath Port Talbot Hospital

Facts About Swansea

• Swansea has been recently named as the cleanest city in Wales and is the second cleanest city in the whole of the UK.
• Famous people from the city include poet Dylan Thomas, entertainer Sir Harry Secombe, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, politician Michael Heseltine, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and footballers John Charles, Ivor Allchurch and John Hartson
• The Gower Peninsula was designated the first Area of Outstanding Beauty in 1956 and is one of only five in Wales.

Cost of Living in Swansea

Cost of Renting Accommodation per month

One-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£558.33
One-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£450.00
Three-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£1062.50
Three-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£725.00

Transportation

1ltr Petrol	£1.28
One-Way Public Transport Ticket	£3.55
Monthly Public Transport Ticket	£72.50
1km Taxi Journey	£2.00

Entertainment

Meal out for two in a local pub	£15.00
Meal out for two in a mid-range restaurant, 3 courses	£47.50
Cinema tickets for two people	£16.00
One-month gym membership	£22.78
Tennis court rental for 1 hour on the weekend	£23.59
Beer 0.5ltr bottle	£3.70
Coke/Pepsi 0.33ltr bottle	£1.44
Cappuccino	£3.00

Time it Takes to Travel by Train from Swansea to Cities in the UK

City	Time it Takes to Travel
London	2 Hours 52 Minutes
Bristol	1 Hour 46 Minutes
Cardiff	53 Minutes
Manchester	4 Hours 37 Minutes
Newcastle	5 Hours 52 Minutes
Birmingham	3 Hours
Liverpool	4 Hours 22 Minutes
Edinburgh	12 Hours 27 Minutes

Education in Swansea

Swansea currently has 62 primary schools and 11 secondary schools. To find out more about term dates, school admissions, welfare and contact details for all schools in Swansea, please visit the Swansea Councils website here.

Swansea is also home to over 24,000 students studying at Swansea University or University of Wales Trinity St David. Swansea University is a research-led university that has been making a difference since 1920. The University community thrives on exploration and discovery, and offers the right balance of excellent teaching and research, matched by an enviable quality of life. The stunning waterfront campuses make it a desirable location for students and staff from around the world, and their multicultural community provides a global perspective, enabling those who join them to develop skills and knowledge that set them on successful and enriching careers.
 

Things to do in Swansea:

Gower Peninsula

Gower was the first place in Britain to be named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With cliffs and woodlands ringed by sparkling beaches, the Gower peninsula is so adored by walkers, birdwatchers, sunbathers and surfers, it’s been scooping awards ever since.

Mumbles Pier

Mumbles Pier aims to be the perfect family day out. The Mumbles Pier was first built in 1898 and the site includes an amusements arcade, a Beach Hut Café and Restaurant and a number of other attractions including a mini bowling alley, Pirate Boating Lake and one of Swansea most bizarre landmarks ‘the Big Apple’.

Swansea Market

Swansea Market is the largest indoor market in Wales, an award winning, historic market that offers both tourists and residents a unique shopping experience. You will find local/Welsh produce here along with eclectic items, food and cafes.

National Waterfront Museum

The National Waterfront Museum at Swansea tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales, now and over the last 300 years. The Museum has free entry, offers interactive displays and has a variety of displays with fascinating artefacts for you to explore.
 

Relocation to Swansea

If you’re an international doctor looking to relocate to Swansea, or another location in the UK, please email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your journey to relocate to the UK.

Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of vlogs and blogs to the group every day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 60 videos on everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS!

Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go to IMG Advisor the Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.

References

Swansea.gov.uk. (2020). Swansea - Key facts and figures about Swansea. [online] Available at: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/businessfactsandfigures

Swansea.ac.uk. (2020). Swansea University. [online] Available at: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/ 

Living, C. and Kingdom, U. (2020). Cost of Living in Swansea. [online] Numbeo.com. Available at: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Swansea