Like anywhere in the world, living in Belfast has its pros and its cons.
Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The birthplace of the Titanic, George Best, C.S. Lewis, and many more notable people and marks of history, it’s slowly becoming a more appealing city for travellers around the world.
Like any city, Belfast has its pros and cons, its ups and downs. So, let’s take a look at the positive and negative aspects of living in Belfast.
Pros – the great things about living in Belfast
Affordable – much more so than our southern neighbours
One of the best things about living in Belfast is that it is very affordable compared to its Dublin neighbours in the south.
In fact, recent stats show that more people are choosing to travel up north to Belfast to live due to impossible rent prices in Dublin.
According to Homelet.co.uk, the average rent price in Belfast is £798 per month.
Options – no crazy queues for house viewings
On the point of rent and accommodation, one of the fantastic pros of living in Belfast is that you actually have options when it comes to choosing somewhere to live.
Dublin is in the midst of a rental crisis, where you see more and more videos on the internet of hundreds of people lining up just to view one house up for rent.
In Belfast, you have a decent amount of options and areas to consider, with prices that vary greatly to suit particular budgets.
Good employment opportunities – one of the pros of living in Belfast
Compared to other cities in the UK and Ireland, Belfast has a great job market and is regarded as one of the best cities for graduate jobs.
If you are considering living in Belfast, this is certainly one of the top pros.
An up-and-coming city – times are changing
Due to years of conflict in the past in Northern Ireland, Belfast, a capital city, has always been a few steps behind other European capitals in terms of entertainment and appeal.
However, while many people visit Belfast to learn more about the Troubles, Belfast is an up-and-coming destination for people to visit for its entertainment, nightlife, and activities on offer.
Access – great links to the rest of Ireland and the UK
Living in Belfast, you have great access to other parts of Ireland and cheap flights to the UK and further in Europe.
If you need to head down to Dublin for a night out or for a flight, a bus ticket will cost you as little as £8.
If you want to fly over to visit friends and family somewhere in England, there are two airports that will bring you straight over, the furthest airport, the International, being only 30 minutes from the city centre.
Cons – the negative aspects of living in Belfast
Transport – an area that is lacking
While this has improved in recent years, one of the worst parts of Belfast is its transport links. In particular, the lack of late-night transport.
In other parts of Ireland and cities in the UK, you can avail of night buses that take you to different parts of the city. In Belfast, the last bus anywhere in the city is at 11 pm. This means you always have to either walk or get taxis after a night out.
The weather – it rains…a lot
If you decide to live in Belfast, be prepared for lots of rain. As the sign at the Duke of York pub says, “There are only seven types of rain in Belfast. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…”.
Nightlife and late-night entertainment – room for improvement
While this is certainly something that is improving, one of the cons of living in Belfast is that a lot of places close really early.
You will struggle to find anything else to do except go to a pub or club after 11 pm on any given night. More late-night cafes and activities would greatly improve the appeal of living in Belfast.
Politics – embedded in history
Again, this is something that isn’t felt as much in 2023, but the trickle-down of any political and religious divide is still felt through murals and flags in certain areas of the city.
So, there you have it. A number of pros and cons of living in Belfast. These are some great aspects to consider if you’re thinking of moving to the northern capital.
