Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Belfast Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Belfast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,892 in London versus $2,156 in Belfast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,638 in London versus $3,224 in Belfast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,385 in London versus $4,291 in Belfast.

Living in London is roughly 80% more expensive than Belfast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 190% above, Belfast 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.92 £20.05

$23.48 £17.49

14.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 £81.7

$103 £77.0

6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 £8.06

$10.93 £8.14

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$5.10 £3.80

$4.78 £3.56

6.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 £2.06

$2.63 £1.96

5.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 £1.33

$2.12 £1.58

-16.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.93 £6.65

$7.96 £5.93

12.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 £5.98

$6.89 £5.13

16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.88 £1.40

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 £1.55

$1.98 £1.48

5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 £1.92

$2.85 £2.13

-9.82%

Eggs

$4.75 £3.54

$3.85 £2.87

23.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 £8.31

$10.36 £7.71

7.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 £6.70

$10.55 £7.86

-14.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 £11.05

$13.33 £9.93

11.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 £2.48

$3.40 £2.53

-2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 £1.46

$1.93 £1.44

1.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 £2.42

$3.42 £2.55

-4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.68

$4.01 £2.99

-10.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.74 £1.29

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.47 £1.09

27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 £0.99

$1.45 £1.08

-8.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 £1.45

$1.46 £1.09

33.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.81 £16.99

$20.76 £15.46

9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.71 £10.21

$11.36 £8.46

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 £2.47

$2.71 £2.02

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 £2.93

$3.76 £2.80

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 £2.95

$3.06 £2.28

29.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$240 £179

$85.5 £63.7

181.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 £4.50

$5.51 £4.11

9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 £2.46

$1.66 £1.24

99.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.84 £30.42

$26.69 £19.88

53.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 £1.40

$1.95 £1.45

-3.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.2K £28.4K

1.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.0K £29.8K

$42.0K £31.3K

-4.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$326 £243

$146 £109

123.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.23 £15.07

$18.31 £13.64

10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.59 £31.72

$42.58 £31.72

0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 £47.95

$47.13 £35.10

36.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 £16.64

$15.83 £11.79

41.12%

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 £15.03

$13.62 £10.15

48.24%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,525 £1,880

$1,502 £1,119

68.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K £20.9K

$8,812 £6,563

217.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.7

$85.1 £63.4

40.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.83 £37.11

$47.21 £35.16

5.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 £94.6

$108 £80.5

17.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 £119

$84.5 £63.0

88.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,019 £2,249

$1,254 £934

140.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 £1,694

$955 £711

138.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,543 £4,129

$1,960 £1,460

182.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,737 £2,783

$1,459 £1,087

156.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K £14.4K

$4,291 £3,196

351.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,516 £7,087

$2,597 £1,935

266.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,820 £3,590

$3,008 £2,240

60.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.05

5.62

-10.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for London: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belfast: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,019 in London and $1,254 in Belfast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 60% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $110 in London vs $103 in Belfast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $327 per month, with Belfast cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

London vs Belfast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belfast is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

London pays 60% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,019 in London versus $1,254 in Belfast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,525 in London versus $1,502 in Belfast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in London. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,156 in Belfast versus $3,892 in London, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Belfast but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Belfast the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belfast is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in London, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, London and Belfast are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Belfast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.