A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Northern Ireland vs. Flanders for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Northern Ireland or Flanders?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Northern Ireland or Flanders, 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 Flanders?

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.

Flanders

The Northern region of Belgium, commonly known as Flanders, is a popular destination for travelers. It includes well-known cities like Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges. It is the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium and has many sights and historical attractions to see.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Kingdom, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Tours for Seniors to Belgium, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Brussels.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Northern Ireland and Flanders, we can see that Northern Ireland is more expensive. And not only is Flanders much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Flanders would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Flanders and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Northern Ireland would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Northern Ireland than you might in Flanders.

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 Flanders Expensive?.