Cardiff · 2026 edition
How much does a Cardiff office actually cost?
Real prices from 3 Cardiff submarkets, the broker fees nobody quotes upfront, and the deals operators only quote when they think you'll walk.
- Serviced desk, city average
- £215 — /desk/month
- Grade A lease, Central Square prime
- £28 — /sqft/yr
- Broker commission (industry standard)
- 10% — of year-one fee
TL;DR — Cardiff office costs
Cardiff splits between Central Square (new Grade A around the station), Cardiff Bay (BBC, creative), and the historic Castle Quarter.
Team-size cost comparison (Cardiff)
| Team size | Sqft needed | Serviced (monthly) | Conventional lease (monthly) | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 people | 550 sqft | £1,050/mo | £1,300/mo + £20k | Serviced cheaper |
| 10 people | 1,100 sqft | £2,150/mo | £2,550/mo + £42k | Break-even month 23 |
| 25 people | 2,750 sqft | £5,700/mo | £5,200/mo + £105k | Lease wins year 2 |
| 50 people | 5,500 sqft | £11,400/mo | £9,500/mo + £200k | Lease saves £23k/yr year 2 |
| 100 people | 11,000 sqft | £22,800/mo | £17,500/mo + £365k | Lease saves £63k/yr year 2 |
Real Cardiff broker deals (recent)
| Size | Rent | Team note | Standard broker fee | Spacebly savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5–15 desks | £18,000/yr | 10-desk serviced in Castle Quarter | £1,800 | Spacebly rebate: £1,620 |
| 20–50 desks | £72,000/yr | 35-desk managed in Central Square | £7,200 | Spacebly rebate: £6,480 |
| 60+ desks | £210,000/yr | 85-desk lease, Central Square | £21,000 | Spacebly rebate: £18,900 |
Hidden costs to watch in Cardiff
Service charge
Operating costs added to headline rent — building services, lifts, security, cleaning. Often the second-largest line item on your invoice.
Local property tax / rates
Set by local authority. Add 30–55% of rateable / assessed value depending on jurisdiction — easy to underestimate.
Fit-out (Cat A vs Cat B)
Cat A is shell. To move in you need Cat B — workstations, AV, finishes. Operators bundle this into the serviced rate; lease tenants pay upfront.
Reinstatement / dilapidations
End-of-Contract dilapidations — check with your operator and landlord as to what these will be to reset the space.
Rent reviews
Most multi-year leases include scheduled reviews tied to inflation or open-market rates. Verify the cap before signing.
Broker commission
Industry-standard 10% of year-one fee. Paid by the landlord — but priced into your rate.
Meeting room overages
Most flex deals include 8–20 hours/month. Going over costs £30–£120/hour depending on the building.
Parking, bike storage, end-of-trip
Central parking in most cities is the single biggest sub-line cost after rent. Confirm what's included.
Cardiff submarkets
- Central Square — Trophy Grade A around Cardiff Central. BBC Cymru Wales, HMRC, ITV at the heart.
- Castle Quarter — Historic centre around Cardiff Castle. Mix of Victorian and modern stock.
- Cardiff Bay — Waterside offices, Welsh Senedd, BBC Drama Village.
How Spacebly finds your Cardiff office
- Tell us what you need — Headcount, budget, preferred Cardiff submarkets, lease vs. flex, must-haves. Takes 3 minutes.
- We shortlist instantly — Our index covers thousands of buildings. You see real availability and real pricing — no inflated rate cards.
- We negotiate for you — Free month, capped rent reviews, break clauses, fit-out contributions. We push every lever, you keep the upside.
- You sign, we get paid by the landlord — Zero fee to you. The standard broker commission is handled between us and the operator — never priced on top of your deal.
Browse live Cardiff offices
Cardiff office FAQs
Is Spacebly really free for tenants in Cardiff?
Yes. Landlords and operators pay us a referral fee when you sign — you pay nothing extra to use Spacebly.
How is Spacebly different from a traditional Cardiff broker?
Traditional brokers only show you the buildings they have a commercial relationship with. Spacebly shows you every option in the market, with direct landlord/operator contact and transparent pricing.
Do you cover serviced offices, managed space and leases?
All three. Serviced (instant move-in, monthly), managed (your branding, 12–36 months) and conventional leases (3–10 years). We model the total cost of each option side-by-side so you can compare like-for-like.
How long does a typical search take?
Most clients sign within 2–4 weeks of starting a search. Larger leases (10,000+ sqft) typically take 6–10 weeks because of fit-out planning and legal review.