Blogs > A snapshot of UK Cities

A Snapshot into.. Belfast

• August 26, 2022

Belfast is both the Capital and the largest City in Northern Ireland, with an estimated current population of 630,632. Located on the East Coast of Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan, Belfast is a modern, lively, welcoming, easy to get around and an affordable place in which to live and study. It is also well known for being within the safest region in the UK. From intimate galleries to international artists, Belfast has it all, including our very own Naughton Gallery and Queen's Film Theatre.

Health and Social Care in Belfast

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust provides healthcare to approximately 340,000 citizens in Belfast and provides the majority of specialist services to all of Northern Ireland. With an annual budget of £1.3bn and a workforce of over 20,000, Belfast Trust is home to the largest teaching and training hospitals in Northern Ireland.

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust is made up of:

• Iveagh Centre
• Beechcroft
• Royal Victoria Hospital
• Belfast City Hospital
• Mater Hospital
• Musgrave Park Hospital
• Muckamore Abbey Hospital
• Knockbracken

Belfast Trust colleagues were named winners at the prestigious Royal College of Midwives Awards. In addition to this The Imaging Service at Belfast Trust has been awarded accreditation by the UK Accreditation Service under the Quality Standard for Imaging. The prestigious accreditation demonstrates the high quality of service provided, in line with strict national regulations.

A recent Patient Survey revealed:

• 100% of patients rated their experience attending the Imaging Service to be positive overall, with 79% stating it was excellent
• 100% of patients said they were well cared for by Imaging staff
• 95% of patients felt they received appropriate information to help them prepare for their x-ray, scan or procedure

Facts About Belfast:

• Belfast was the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, which famously struck an iceberg and sunk in 1912.
• C.S Lewis was born here, and the nearby countryside helped inspire The Chronicles of Narnia.
• Ireland’s tallest building is here, The Obel Tower, which is a 28-storey residential tower and an adjoining six-story office block.
• Among shipbuilding and the production of rope and tobacco, the city paved the way in the world's linen industry. By the end of the 19^th Century Belfast was known as the world's linen capital and was nicknamed Linenopolis.
• Belfast Zoo is home to the only Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos in the UK and Ireland.

Cost of Living in Belfast

Cost of Renting Accommodation per month

One-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£639.58
One-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£453.41
Three-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£1096.36
Three-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£731.82

Transportation

1ltr Petrol	£1.25
One-Way Public Transport Ticket	£2.10
Monthly Public Transport Ticket	£60.00
1km Taxi Journey	£1.00

Entertainment

Meal out for two in a local pub	£24.00
Meal out for two in a mid-range restaurant, 3 courses	£40.00
Cinema tickets for two people	£14.00
One-month gym membership	£25.46
Tennis court rental for 1 hour on the weekend	£8.50
Beer 0.5ltr bottle	£4.20
Coke/Pepsi 0.33ltr bottle	£1.54
Cappuccino	£2.72

 

Time it Takes to Travel by Plane from Belfast to Cities in the UK:

 

City	Time it Takes to Travel
London	1 Hours 10 Minutes
Bristol	1 Hours 5 Minutes
Cardiff	1 Hours 10 Minutes
Manchester	1 Hour
Newcastle	50 Minutes
Birmingham	3 Hours 3 Minutes
Liverpool	1 Hours 5 Minutes
Edinburgh	50 Minutes

 

Education in Belfast:

According to the information available online, Belfast has 39 Primary Schools and a further 88 Secondary Schools. To find out more information about term dates, applications, standards, curriculum and general education, visit the Northern Ireland Education Authorities website here.  

The City is also home to Queen’s University Belfast, ranked 173 in the world university rankings and 22^nd in the world for international outlook and attraction of global talent. The Russell Group University has state of the art facilities across health sciences laboratories, business, engineering and computing, alongside an award winning campus and library. With over 25,000 students the University has a global network that spans 120 different countries.

Things to do in Belfast:

Titanic Belfast

Titanic Belfast is the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, named the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2016. Located beside the Titanic Slipways, the Titanic Belfast tells the story of the Titanic, from her conception in the early 1900’s, through her construction and launch, to it’s maiden voyage and subsequent place in history.

W5 at Odyseey

W5 is Belfast’s award-winning science and discovery centre and provides a unique experience as well as fantastic fun for visitors of all ages. Visitors can immerse themselves in W5’s new technological space ‘AMAZE’, scale the heights on the multi-storey climbing structure ‘Climbit’, meet W5’s humanoid robot ‘Robothespian, and take part in the live science demonstrations.

Ulster Museum

As Northern Ireland's treasure house of the past and the present, the Ulster Museum is home to a rich collection of art, history and natural sciences and is free to all visitors. The museum tells the story of the people of the north of Ireland from earliest times to the present day. Impressive galleries and interactive discovery zones bring history, science and art collections to life

Belfast Zoological Gardens

Belfast Zoo is now a leading and award-winning visitor attraction in Northern Ireland, with more than 200,000 visitors each year. Popular attractions include the Asian elephants, Barbary lions, Rothschild's giraffes, California sea lions, penguins, apes, Malayan tapirs, giant anteater, Malayan sun bears, Visayan warty pigs, Goodfellow's tree kangaroo, red-backed bearded sakis, crowned sifaka, ring-tailed lemurs and reptiles.

Places to eat In Belfast:

Serendib

Deeply authentic Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine.

Nora's Palace

Comfy spot for falafel, kebabs, salads & more Mediterranean fare from an open kitchen – great Egyptian dishes.

Nu Delhi Restaurant Lounge

Classic curries, fusion grill dishes and Indian tapas served in a modern space.

Coppi

Serving up modern Italian dishes and catering for a range of dietary requirements, the inventive menu at this chic restaurant leaves nothing to be desired.

Relocation to Belfast:

If you’re an international doctor looking to relocate to Belfast, or another location in the UK, please email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your journey to relocate to the UK.

Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of vlogs and blogs to the group every day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 100 videos on everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS!

Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go to IMG Advisor the Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.