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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Belfast walkability score: 72/100, transit score 52/100, average commute 24 min. How walkable is Belfast vs other Northern Ireland cities?
Belfast walkability score: 72/100, transit score 52/100, average commute 24 min. How walkable is Belfast vs other 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.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: 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%. Financially, that's significant.
Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. 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 a strong position by any measure.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Walk Score | Transit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast | 89 | £780 | £30,500 | 72 | 52 |
| 2 | London | 142 | £2,000 | £42,500 | 89 | 92 |
| 3 | Oxford | 132 | £1,500 | £39,000 | 85 | 52 |
| 4 | Edinburgh | 110 | £1,220 | £37,000 | 84 | 65 |
| 5 | Cambridge | 129 | £1,450 | £41,000 | 82 | 45 |
| 6 | York | 107 | £1,080 | £34,700 | 80 | 42 |
| 7 | Brighton | 122 | £1,350 | £37,000 | 78 | 55 |
| 8 | Manchester | 103 | £1,080 | £33,800 | 78 | 72 |
| 9 | Glasgow | 95 | £960 | £32,600 | 78 | 68 |
| 10 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 89 | £800 | £30,500 | 74 | 62 |
| 11 | Bristol | 112 | £1,200 | £35,800 | 72 | 55 |
| 12 | Nottingham | 94 | £880 | £31,000 | 72 | 58 |
| 13 | Liverpool | 92 | £830 | £30,500 | 72 | 58 |
| 14 | Cardiff | 96 | £940 | £32,600 | 72 | 48 |
| 15 | Exeter | 106 | £1,020 | £32,600 | 70 | 38 |
| 16 | Leeds | 96 | £950 | £31,600 | 70 | 55 |
| 17 | Reading | 124 | £1,300 | £40,000 | 68 | 60 |
| 18 | Birmingham | 97 | £950 | £32,200 | 68 | 62 |
| 19 | Aberdeen | 98 | £810 | £35,800 | 68 | 45 |
| 20 | Southampton | 113 | £1,130 | £35,200 | 65 | 48 |
Belfast — cost index 89, rent £780/mo, income £30,500, QoL 62/100.
London — cost index 142, rent £2,000/mo, income £42,500, QoL 56/100.
Oxford — cost index 132, rent £1,500/mo, income £39,000, QoL 58/100.
Edinburgh — cost index 110, rent £1,220/mo, income £37,000, QoL 65/100.
Cambridge — cost index 129, rent £1,450/mo, income £41,000, QoL 61/100.
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. London: cost index 142, rent £2,000/mo, income £42,500/yr, QoL 56/100.
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.