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: $3,916 in London versus $2,137 in Belfast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,631 in London versus $3,240 in Belfast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,345 in London versus $4,343 in Belfast.

Living in London is roughly 83% more expensive than in Belfast, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: London 193% above, Belfast 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.47 £20.45

$22.96 £17.09

19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 £82.4

$107 £79.8

3.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 £7.95

$10.85 £8.08

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$5.30 £3.94

$4.58 £3.41

15.72%

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

$2.74 £2.04

$2.64 £1.96

3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.07 £1.54

-13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 £6.70

$8.27 £6.16

8.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 £6.04

$6.82 £5.08

19.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 £1.28

$1.81 £1.35

-4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 £1.57

$1.98 £1.48

6.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 £1.84

$2.84 £2.11

-13.03%

Eggs

$4.98 £3.71

$3.92 £2.92

27.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 £8.27

$10.31 £7.67

7.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 £6.80

$10.63 £7.91

-14.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 £10.73

$13.54 £10.08

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 £2.50

$3.24 £2.41

3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 £1.51

$1.93 £1.44

5.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 £2.44

$3.36 £2.50

-2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 £2.70

$4.02 £2.99

-9.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.25

$1.76 £1.31

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.41 £1.05

25.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 £0.99

$1.44 £1.07

-7.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.52 £1.13

25.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.79 £16.97

$20.63 £15.36

10.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 £10.14

$11.08 £8.25

22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 £2.38

$2.70 £2.01

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 £3.03

$3.73 £2.78

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 £2.85

$3.04 £2.26

25.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$249 £185

$87.3 £65.0

185.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 £4.39

$5.59 £4.16

5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 £2.47

$1.70 £1.27

95.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.47 £30.13

$27.00 £20.10

49.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 £1.42

$1.96 £1.46

-3.06%

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

$38.9K £29.0K

$38.5K £28.7K

1.08%

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

$39.4K £29.3K

$42.7K £31.8K

-7.75%

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

$328 £244

$146 £109

124.59%

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

$19.61 £14.60

$18.28 £13.61

7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.68 £31.78

$42.69 £31.78

-0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 £47.08

$47.00 £34.99

34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 £16.67

$15.74 £11.72

42.25%

Cinema Ticket

$20.69 £15.40

$13.70 £10.20

51.02%

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

$2,474 £1,842

$1,506 £1,121

64.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K £20.8K

$8,861 £6,597

215.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 £88.9

$85.3 £63.5

39.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 £37.29

$48.43 £36.06

3.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 £97.4

$106 £78.7

23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 £118

$86.0 £64.0

84.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,937 £2,186

$1,237 £921

137.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 £1,660

$954 £711

133.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,569 £4,146

$1,954 £1,455

185.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,707 £2,760

$1,442 £1,073

157.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K £15.0K

$4,155 £3,093

384.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,485 £6,317

$2,578 £1,920

229.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 £3,162

$3,080 £2,293

37.89%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belfast: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,937 in London and $1,237 in Belfast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays 38% 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: $111 in London vs $107 in Belfast for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $326 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% higher in London, 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: $2,937 in London versus $1,237 in Belfast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,474 in London versus $1,506 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 $2,137 in Belfast versus $3,916 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 83% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.