A Travel Price Comparison for United Kingdom Northern Ireland vs. England for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Northern Ireland or England?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Northern Ireland or England, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Where Should I go: Northern Ireland or England?

Northern Ireland

You may think you know Northern Ireland, but guess again. This once turbulent and dangerous country has calmed down and continues to pleasantly surprise visitors from all over the world.

Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, or Great Britain. Northern Ireland joins England, Scotland and Wales in the UK. This is still a point of controversy within this region depending on whom you are talking to. Unionists, or those who prefer being a part of Great Britain, will proudly call themselves British and try very much to differentiate themselves from their Irish neighbors. Republicans, or those who would prefer to be a part of the Republic of Ireland, call themselves Irish. Nowhere is this more prominent than in the historic city of Londonderry. That is what Unionists call the city, as the "London" was added after Northern Ireland joined the UK. On the other hand, you'll hear Republicans refer to the city as its original Derry.

Dress in layers, as it's not uncommon to experience every season in an hour in Northern Ireland. This part of the British Isles arguably receives more rain than anywhere.

More difficult than the weather, however, are the accents of the locals. While it may not sound like it at times, they are speaking English. Simply ask them to slow down so you can better understand their very thick accents.

England

England is a destination people dream of – probably because England itself can be a dream. With double decker buses, quaint cottages and royal families, this country is the land of fairytales and folklore.

Do not confuse England for the United Kingdom or Great Britain. The UK, or Great Britain, is a constituent nation made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This country of 52 million people has gained an awful reputation for being gray, cold and rainy. In truth, the temperatures never reach either extreme and the rain isn't as frequent as you'd think.

While most everyone in England speaks English, be ready for thick accents. Typically divided by northern, southern and London accents, many can be very difficult to understand and may as well be a language of their very own.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from London, The Best 2-Week Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Kingdom, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United Kingdom.


Which place is cheaper, England or Northern Ireland?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

  • Northern Ireland Prices
    UK Prices
    England Prices
    UK Prices
  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    Northern Ireland £163
    England £183

The average daily cost (per person) in Northern Ireland is £163, while the average daily cost in England is £183. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Northern Ireland and England in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Northern Ireland £68
    England £92
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Northern Ireland £136
    England £184
Compare Hotels in Northern Ireland and England

Looking for a hotel in Northern Ireland or England? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Northern Ireland


Hotels in England


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Northern Ireland £14
    England £25

Hired Cars and Shuttles in England

Also for England, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Birmingham Airport : Bus transferring to/from Oxford: $16
  • Bournemouth Airport BOH to Bournemouth - Arrival Private Transfer: $42
  • Bournemouth to Bournemouth Airport BOH Departure Private Transfer: $42
  • St Pancras Station Private transfer from or to your Hotel in London: $47
  • Private Norwich Arrival Transfer - Airport to Hotel / Accommodation: $49
  • Private Norwich Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $49
  • Private Newquay Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $49
  • Private Leeds Bradford Arrival Transfer - Airport to Hotel / Accommodation: $52
  • Private Leeds Bradford Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $52
  • Private Cambridge Departure Transfer - Hotel / Accommodation to Airport: $56
  • Private Transfer from Southampton City to Southampton Airport (SOU): $56
  • London Heathrow (LHR) Airport Arrival Shared Transfer - Airport to Hotel: $56

Is it cheaper to fly into Northern Ireland or England?

Prices for flights to both England and Northern Ireland change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Northern Ireland £81
    England £61

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in England

For England, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Borough Market Food Tour - Self Guided: $7.00
  • Thur 9pm Comedy Magic Show includes 2 glasses of Prosecco + Pizza: $27
  • Hard Rock Cafe Manchester with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $36
  • Ultimate London Cheese Crawl : Guided Food Tour: $41
  • Hard Rock Cafe London Old Park Lane with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $41
  • Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $43
  • Breakfast Food Tour in York: $55
  • 90 minutes Unlimited Wine Dinner : $55
  • Pizza and Beer Bus Experience: $67
  • Pizza Express Dinner and Comedy Show Experience in Covent Garden: $75
  • Cooking Class in the Isle of Man with a Professional Chef: $79
  • The V.I.B (Very Independent Brighton) Walking Food Tour: $88

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Northern Ireland £18
    England £29

Tours and Activities in Northern Ireland

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  • From Belfast: Strangford Lough Kings and Queens Tour: $741
  • Titanic Belfast and City Tour: $943

Tours and Activities in England

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for England.

  • Manchester Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided Tour: $4.79
  • Durham Cathedral Tour: $4.93
  • Stones of Tregeseal: An Audio Tour of West Cornwall’s Prehistory: $5.00
  • Brighton rocks: An audio tour of the city's music history along Brighton Beach: $5.00
  • Birmingham Ghost Hunt: Haunted Self-Guide Tour & Quest: $5.94
  • Cambridge Famous Alumni Quest Experience: $5.94
  • Bristol Street Art: Banksy Exploration Game and Tour: $5.94
  • Ghosts, Crime & Legends Quest Experience in Warwick: $5.95
  • London Mob Revenge in Westminster: Exploration Game and Tour: $5.96
  • Murder Detective Self-Guided Tour in Manchester: $5.98
  • Camden Town's Quirky Characters: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Soho's Contribution to Health Care History Walking Audio Tour: $5.99

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Northern Ireland £7.77
    England £13

Sample the Local Flavors in England

Also in England, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Brighton Bar Crawl: $20
  • Shakespeare Distillery Tour - 1pm Ticket: $27
  • Shakespeare Distillery Tour - 11am Ticket: $27
  • London Pub Crawl: $29
  • Wine Tasting Experience in Torquay : $34
  • DropWorks Rum Tour - Largest Premium Rum Distillery in Europe!: $34
  • London Calling Pub Crawl Shots Pints Pubs & Good Times: $34
  • The Great East London Pub Crawl!: $34
  • Camden Pub Crawl in London: $34
  • Small Group Covent Garden Historic Pub Tour in London: $34
  • Pub Crawl of Central London: $35
  • Hooting Owl Distillery York - Distillery Tour & Guided Tasting: $41


When comparing the travel costs between Northern Ireland and England, we can see that England is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Northern Ireland Expensive? and Is England Expensive?.


Which has a larger population, Northern Ireland or England?

England has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Northern Ireland. When comparing the sizes of Northern Ireland and England, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.