Nursing in Belfast: Studying, working and living guide
Find out about nursing in Belfast - where nurses can find jobs, the hospitals they might work in, colleges & universities to study in, plus living information.
Belfast is the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland.
Belfast is located on the banks of the river Lagan on the east coast, known for natural beauty, a rich history and a beating nightlife.
This guide aims to give you a better sense of what it’s like to live there as a student or qualified Nurse, considering costs and travel as well as culture and demographics.
Where do Nurses work in Belfast?
Nurses in Belfast will find employment opportunities in both the private and public sector, and within all kinds of settings.
However, four of the biggest and best-known employers are:
Royal Victoria Hospital
Belfast City Hospital
Musgrave Park Hospital
Ulster Hospital
There are also many private hospitals, community healthcare settings, care homes and more that employ Nurses throughout the city.
In fact, on any given day there are hundreds, if not thousands of live vacancies for Nurses in the region.
Where do aspiring Nurses study in Belfast?
Anyone dreaming of pursuing a nursing career in Belfast can train and study at Queen’s University Belfast or Belfast Metropolitan College (generally known as Belfast Met).
Queen’s University Belfast campus is in the centre of Belfast city. and has nursing course start dates in September. Nursing degrees can only be obtained at The University in Belfast, however "Belfast Met" does offer other health and social care courses.
Belfast Metropolitan College has start dates in September and has four main sites located at Titanic Quarter, Millfield, Castlereagh and E3 Springvale.
Find our nursing university guide here.
Queen’s University Belfast is ranked 6th in the UK for nursing according to the UK Complete University Guide 2023, as well as being the winner of the Student Nursing Times Award (SNTA) Partnership of the year 2022.
Where do Nurses live in Belfast?
Nurses live throughout the city of course, but certain areas tend to be particularly popular for students and Nurses.
Here are some of them:
Cathedral Quarter
Popular with students and professionals due to its beautiful architecture, amenities, and central location for studying and working.
Belfast city centre
An especially popular area for students wanting to immerse themselves in Belfast’s great nightlife.
Titanic Quarter
One of the most popular areas for Nurses with its stunning views over the marina and Belfast Hills.
Ormeau
A quieter area that’s still well located and boasts excellent local amenities.
What are the living costs for Nurses in Belfast?
Here is a broad guide to some of the different costs of living in the city:
The average price for a home in Belfast is currently £198,000, far lower than the UK average of £293,000.
The average rental price for a property in Belfast is £800 per month. But if you are merely looking to rent a room in a shared house, the average cost is just over £450 per a month.
Council Tax is not applicable in Northern Ireland and instead a district rate tax system applies based on your property value. As a guide, these costs are typically lower than the average council tax paid in the rest of the UK.
Other costs are broadly similar to the rest of the UK – but eating out and entertainment tends to be kinder on your wallet.
Is travel easy in Belfast?
Belfast is well connected with travel links across Ireland and the UK.
Belfast ferry port offers good connections to Scotland, England and the Isle of Man.
Northern Ireland has three airports. The nearest airport to Belfast is George Best Belfast City Airport – 7 minutes’ drive away from Belfast City centre. Belfast International Airport is 20 minutes by road from the city centre and slightly further afield is the City of Derry Airport, 90 minutes away.
The M1 Motorway connects Belfast with Dublin amongst other towns and cities.
Overall, Belfast has excellent transport links with easy access by rail to Dublin and other towns and cities across Northern Ireland and Ireland.
What to do in Belfast: walks, culture, nightlife and eating out
Belfast has endless options for things to do and visit during your free time.
Culture and attractions
Belfast is regularly visited by tourists from all over the UK and the world because of its array of stunning places to visit and explore.
Belfast Cathedral, Belfast City Hall, Linen Hall Library, Albert Clock and Clifton House Belfast are just some of the stand-out attractions.
There are also many green spaces with stunning views to visit and walk around in Belfast, such as Botanic Gardens Belfast, The Tropical Ravine at Botanic Gardens, Stormont Estate (site of Northern Ireland’s Parliament buildings), Lagan Valley Regional Park, Barnett Demesne (park and gardens), Belfast Hills, Cave Hills, Divis and Black Mountain on the Causeway Coastal Path.
Art lovers are well catered for in Belfast while the city also has many museums to visit such as Metropolitan Arts Centre (MAC), Titanic Belfast, Ulster Museum and The Naughton Gallery.
There are also many iconic music venues such as the Belfast Empire Music Hall, Limelight (nightclub and music venue) and Ulster Hall.
There are four Irish league football teams based across Belfast. Crusaders football club are based in north Belfast and play their matches at Seaview. Cliftonville Football Club are based in North Belfast and play their matches at Solitude. Glentoran play their home matches at The Bet McLean Oval and Linfield Football Club based in south Belfast play their matches at Windsor Park, which is also the home to the national team.
Gaelic football, the most popular sport in Northern Ireland, is played at Casement Park, the home of Antrim GAA.
Nightlife and eating out
Belfast is renowned for its nightlife and restaurant scene.
Highlights include:
The Duke of York – A renowned and historic pub with excellent live music at weekends.
The Dirty Onion and Yardbird – Famed for rotisserie chicken and ribs.
Muddlers Club – A Michelin starred restaurant offering rustic dishes using fresh local ingredients.
Nu Delhi – Belfast’s number one rated restaurant.
This barely scratches the surface – there are excellent options for food and drink in every corner of the city.
What are the school options in Belfast?
There are more than 180 primary, secondary and grammar schools in Belfast.
There are both private and public options, and schools in every corner of the city.
Overall, reputations and standards are high in Belfast.
Population and demographics in Belfast
Here are some of the stand-out population and demographic facts in Belfast:
The population of the Belfast metropolitan area is 643,000 – or around 350,000 in the city alone.
The population density is 6,500 people per square mile.
Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland.
Belfast is in the top 10 most sustainable destinations in the world, according to the Annual Global Destination Sustainability Index.
2.7% of Belfast’s population is unemployed – lower than the UK average.
In summary: is Belfast a good place to be a Nurse?
Belfast is a historic capital city, and that comes with all kinds of benefits for those that live there.
It boasts a vibrant culture, great options for your free time and fantastic areas of natural beauty in close proximity.
As a capital city, it’s also well located and easy to navigate – both nationally and internationally.
But given it’s a capital city, it also offers good affordability too.
The average salary for nurses in Belfast is £38,000, which is more than the average nurse salary in the UK.
And here are a couple of examples of how far a nursing salary goes in Belfast:
As a newly qualified Nurse on an NHS Band 5 salary, if you rented a room in a shared house, you’d likely still have more than £1000 a month left a month after all bills and costs.
As a Band 6 Nurse, you would easily be able to borrow enough money to get a joint mortgage on an average-priced home. You could potentially be able to afford a mortgage to buy a flat alone.
So, in short, it’s a great city to relocate to where the good life might actually be affordable.
