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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Belfast quality of life score: 62/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (60), healthcare (68), walkability (72), air quality (AQI 20) and green space (22%). Compared to Northern Ireland peers in 2026.
Belfast quality of life score: 62/100 (United Kingdom avg: 60/100). Combines safety (60), healthcare (68), walkability (72), air quality (AQI 20) and green space (22%). Compared to Northern Ireland peers in 2026.
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.
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: 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%. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
But here's the flip side: looking at Northern Ireland as a whole, the spread across all 27 cities is 14 points on the cost index. Manchester sits at the other end with index 103 and rent of £1,080/mo. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
On quality of life, Belfast scores a composite score of 62/100 — reflecting its safety (60), healthcare (68), and walkability (72) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and United Kingdom is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 |
| 2 | Swansea | 87 | £720 | £29,500 |
| 3 | Sheffield | 91 | £830 | £30,000 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 |
| 5 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 |
| 6 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 |
| 7 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 |
| 8 | Plymouth | 97 | £870 | £31,000 |
| 9 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 |
| 10 | Norwich | 99 | £920 | £32,000 |
| 11 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 |
| 12 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 |
| 13 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 |
| 14 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 |
| 15 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 |
| 16 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 |
| 17 | Sunderland | 83 | £660 | £28,400 |
| 18 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 |
| 19 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 |
| 20 | Leicester | 93 | £860 | £30,000 |
Belfast — cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £30,500, QoL 62/100.
Swansea — cost index 87, rent £720/mo, income £29,500, QoL 66/100.
Sheffield — cost index 91, rent £830/mo, income £30,000, QoL 65/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Aberdeen — cost index 98, rent £810/mo, income £35,800, QoL 65/100.
Belfast has a composite quality of life score of 62/100, covering safety (60), healthcare (68), walkability (72), air quality, and green space. United Kingdom average QoL: 60/100.
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. Swansea: cost index 87, rent £720/mo, income £29,500/yr, QoL 66/100.
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.