I'm from Cardiff originally, but I've lived in Caerphilly and Pontypridd as well.

Just like Cardiff, there are better and worse areas in both.

You can get more house for your money in Caerphilly compared to Cardiff, but even more in Pontypridd.

I'd say that Ponty feels more like a cohesive town, whereas at least half of Caerphilly is effectively a Cardiff suburb. If you live far enough out to need to get in the car to pop to the shops the you may as well drive a bit further and go to Cardiff.

The town centre shopping in Ponty is probably the best of the valleys towns (assuming it picks back up from the double whammy of storm denis and covid 19), and the park in the centre is really good (the kids playground is better than any in Cardiff). I never really took to the town centre in Caerphilly, it's just a bit of a weird layout.

Pubs and places to eat they're pretty similar.

Moving back to Cardiff soon, and I can see myself visiting Ponty on occasion, whereas probably wouldn't bother with Caerphily.

That said, in pontypridd you do occasionally encounter people in the town centre clearly on some kind of drug or other, which I havent noticed really anywhere else.