Belfast is the second best UK city for graduates this year

Property marketplace, TheHouseShop, have calculated average house prices, rents, utility costs, disposable income, that all too important price of a pint, and many more factors, to find the best location for graduates to live after university.

Belfast has proved itself as one of the top locations for a graduate to live after leaving university rising from 15th place last year. The city offers the highest disposable income and the lowest cost of living index, meaning graduates can enjoy all the city has to offer without having to worry about their finances.

If an average graduate were to save half of their disposable income a month and put this towards a 10 per cent deposit of a property costing around £103,815, then they could be the proud owners of their first house in less than two years.

This is made possible by the low housing prices and the high disposable income on offer in Belfast. The city boasts the highest disposable income, as graduates can take home, once rent and basic bills have been deducted, £1,124.78 a month.

To top it off, Belfast came in joint first for cheapest meals out. No more beans on toast or Tayto crisp sandwiches as graduates can enjoy life with a meal for two for around £40.

Unfortunately, Belfast did not rank well for the price of a pint, coming in at 8th most expensive price, an average pint in Belfast will cost around £3.15. However, with such a high disposable income, a graduate could purchase 357 pints a month with their disposable income if they so desired.

Nick Marr, co-founder of TheHouseShop, offers his view on Belfast as a graduate hotspot:

“It is not surprising to see Belfast achieve so highly this year as a graduate hotspot. With such low property prices and affordable living costs, it is the perfect location for those debt-ridden graduates. An average graduate salary of over £24K will go a long way in this city, and with so much to see and do, graduates can work hard and play hard.

“However, despite being the second-best location for graduates, it does appear that the city may offer a lot of competition for those excited to move there. With only 216 jobs available, Belfast had the 9th least amount of graduate vacancies. Meaning that those leaving university might struggle to achieve the high disposable income and climb the affordable property ladder as the reality of getting a job in Belfast is actually pretty slim.

“This might be why the city has the lowest demographic of 20-25yr old’s at only 10.29 per cent. Belfast might be a distant dream to the young graduate but with its affordability, beautiful surroundings and having been named the Best Place to Visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet, Belfast boasts a strong foundation for graduates to start their journey into the real world.”