Cardiff vs Bristol vs Newport: Short-Term Rental Market Comparison 2026 | Guesture

Three markets. Three different investment profiles.

If you’re deciding where to buy (or where to expand) a short-term rental portfolio, comparing headline nightly rates isn’t enough. The best market for you depends on entry cost, year-round demand, operational complexity, competition, and how reliably the city can deliver occupancy outside peak periods.

Cardiff, Bristol and Newport each offer a very different profile. Bristol typically delivers higher nightly rates and strong corporate demand, but the capital required is materially higher and competition is intense. Cardiff often offers the most balanced opportunity — a proven tourism and event market (especially around the Principality Stadium) with lower entry costs than Bristol and meaningful peak-weekend upside. Newport is the emerging option: lower purchase prices, less competition, and strong ROI potential for investors willing to back a growing market that benefits from Cardiff overflow and regional business travel.

In the comparison below, we lay out a practical view of these three cities using the metrics investors actually care about: purchase price ranges, typical occupancy, annual revenue potential and gross ROI assumptions — plus which market tends to suit different budgets and strategies.