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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Healthcare quality in Belfast: 68/100 (United Kingdom avg: 61/100). Full healthcare and quality-of-life breakdown vs Northern Ireland cities.
Healthcare quality in Belfast: 68/100 (United Kingdom avg: 61/100). Full healthcare and quality-of-life breakdown vs Northern Ireland cities.
Belfast: cost index 89 (-14 vs national avg 103), rent £780/month.
Northern Ireland region average cost index: 103. Belfast is -14 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 62/100 — safety 60, healthcare 68, walkability 72.
Safety score: 60/100 (crime rate 75.8/1k). National average: 61/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 |
| 3 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 |
| 4 | London | 142 | £2,000 | £42,500 |
| 5 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 |
| 6 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 |
| 7 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 |
| 8 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 |
| 10 | Reading | 124 | £1,300 | £40,000 |
| 11 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 |
| 12 | Manchester | 103 | £1,080 | £33,800 |
| 13 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 |
| 14 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 |
| 15 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 |
| 16 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 |
| 17 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 |
| 18 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 |
| 19 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 |
| 20 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Belfast has a cost index of 89 — 14 points below the United Kingdom national average of 103. Median income is £30,500 with rent at £780/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 31%. This combination is rare — and valuable.
That said, looking at Northern Ireland as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 6 points on the cost index. Sunderland sits at the other end with index 83 and rent of £660/mo. That's not a marginal difference — it reshapes your monthly budget.
On quality of life, Belfast scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (60), healthcare (68), and walkability (72) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
Belfast — cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £30,500, QoL 62/100.
Cambridge — cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000, QoL 61/100.
Oxford — cost index 132, rent £1,500/mo, income £39,000, QoL 58/100.
London — cost index 142, rent £2,000/mo, income £42,500, QoL 56/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Belfast has a cost index of 89 (national avg: 103), rent £780/mo, median income £30,500/yr, and a quality of life score of 62/100.
The Northern Ireland region of average QoL score is 60/100. Belfast leads with 62/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include ONS, Land Registry, HMRC.
Belfast: cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £30,500/yr, QoL 62/100. Cambridge: cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000/yr, QoL 61/100.
This analysis uses data from ONS, Land Registry, HMRC to rank cities in United Kingdom. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.