MONMOUTHSHIRE may be a lovely place to live, but it’s also extremely expensive, especially when it comes to putting a roof over your head!

Putting the almost impossible dream of buying a property in the borough to one side, a person of average means could always rely on renting, but that too is becoming a market that someone working to make ends meet will be priced out of.

According to the latest official figures, our leafy county has been named the second most expensive place to rent in Wales.

With an average private rent of £994 a month, it doesn’t leave you with much bang for your buck if you’re struggling to get by on the farce that is the minimum wage.

Rents in Monmouthshire rose by 2.3% in the year to August, compared with 4.3% across Wales as a whole. The average rent here is £148 a month more than the Welsh average of £846.

The ranking comes from housing assistance experts at Mothers Assistance, who ranked all 22 Welsh council areas by average monthly private rent, using the latest Office for National Statistics figures for August 2026, published on September 16.

Cardiff is the most expensive place to rent in Wales at £1,177 a month.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Apparently, with average rents of £621 a month, neighbouring Powys offers the cheapest rental properties.

We’re not sure how much joy you’ll find in Crickhowell, or even Brecon with those prices, but there’s always Builth Wells.

A housing assistance expert at Mothers Assistance said: "Depending on where you live in Wales, the average rent can be more than £500 a month higher, and that's money a single parent on one wage just doesn't have. Rents are still going up almost everywhere, so if your tenancy is up for renewal this autumn, look at what similar homes nearby are going for before you agree to a new rent. And if you get Universal Credit or Housing Benefit and it doesn't cover your rent, ask your council about a Discretionary Housing Payment."