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Belfast vs Edinburgh cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐ง Belfast
๐ฌ๐ง Edinburgh
At a glance
- Where Edinburgh is clearly cheaper: Street food (21%โ)
- Where Belfast is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (38%โ), Scooter rental (25%โ), Studio rent (month) (24%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Belfast is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Belfast 1 vs Edinburgh 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Belfast | Edinburgh | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฃ 14$18.9 | ยฃ 14$18.9 | similar |
| Street food1 item | ยฃ 7$9.46 | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | Edinburgh โ21% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฃ 28$37.8 | ยฃ 30$40.5 | Belfast โ7% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฃ 3.7$5 | ยฃ 3.8$5.14 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | ยฃ 6.1$8.24 | ยฃ 5.5$7.43 | Edinburgh โ10% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Edinburgh โ10% |
| Bottled water | ยฃ 1$1.35 | ยฃ 1.2$1.62 | Belfast โ17% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฃ 1.9$2.57 | ยฃ 1.8$2.43 | Edinburgh โ5% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฃ 9$12.2 | ยฃ 11$14.9 | Belfast โ18% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฃ 6$8.11 | ยฃ 7$9.46 | Belfast โ14% |
| Transitone ride | ยฃ 2.3$3.11 | ยฃ 2.4$3.24 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฃ 15$20.3 | ยฃ 20$27 | Belfast โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฃ 110$149 | ยฃ 120$162 | Belfast โ8% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฃ 800$1,081 | ยฃ 1,050$1,419 | Belfast โ24% |
| Laundry | ยฃ 8$10.8 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Belfast โ11% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฃ 10$13.5 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | similar |
| Haircutcut | ยฃ 14$18.9 | ยฃ 18$24.3 | Belfast โ22% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฃ 55$74.3 | ยฃ 60$81.1 | Belfast โ8% |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฃ 25$33.8 | ยฃ 40$54.1 | Belfast โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฃ 25$33.8 | ยฃ 21.5$29.1 | Edinburgh โ14% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Belfast or Edinburgh?
Belfast is 12% cheaper than Edinburgh. Daily budget $288 vs $313; a month $4,618 vs $5,475.
Which is easier to travel, Belfast or Edinburgh?
Belfast is easier: Belfast 1.4/5 vs Edinburgh 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Belfast and Edinburgh?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Belfast is about $4,618 and Edinburgh about $5,475 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.