A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santorini vs. Belfast for Couples, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Santorini or Belfast?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Belfast, 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.

Santorini

Santorini is a stunning, historic, and romantic island. You'll find world class beauty here as well. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. It's also known for scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and hiking.

Belfast

Belfast is a under-rated, authentic, and affordable city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the nightlife and shopping.

Santorini and Belfast: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Nice resorts
  • Good scuba and snorkeling destination
  • Popular beach
  • Good for hiking
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Impressive beauty
  • Quaint atmosphere
Pros
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with couples
  • Less popular with backpackers


Is there more to do in Santorini or Belfast?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santorini than Belfast. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Santorini is very popular for its museums, food, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Belfast attracts visitors for its big city activities. Santorini is more touristy than Belfast and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. It is also well known for The Caldera and Volcano of Santorini. Belfast is famous for being the birthplace of the Titanic and the location of the era of the "Troubles".

How is Santorini different from Belfast?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Belfast and Santorini. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santorini or Belfast?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its sights and museums. However, Belfast does not have museums and landmarks.

Santorini is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. One of the most impressive historical sights is Akrotiri Archaeological Site. The island has many archeological sites as well as the Archeological Museum in Fira.

Belfast does not have museums and landmarks.


Is the Food Better in Santorini or Belfast? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Belfast is not a good city for its restaurants.

Santorini offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Belfast. While many restaurants have moved towards more modern cuisines, there are still places that hold tight to the traditions of the area. Traditional dishes include pasties, full Irish breakfasts, and oysters.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Nightlife?

Santorini
Belfast

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find nice options in both Santorini and Belfast.

If you're looking for night time activities Santorini has a few options to choose from. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Belfast. The city has a number of bars and clubs with local DJs or musicians.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Resorts?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is an unbeatable place for its resorts. However, Belfast is not a resort destination.

Santorini offers an unforgettable resort vacation. The resorts range from all-inclusive options to resorts with a more local feel. The island is one of the most romantic of the Greek Islands, and the resorts are no exception.

Belfast is not a resort destination.


Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, Belfast is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Santorini has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. Some of the best snorkeling places are found at Red Beach, White Beach, and the less accessible Kambia. One of the island's best diving spots is Caldera Beach.

Belfast is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Beaches?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its beaches. However, Belfast is not a beach destination.

Santorini has a beach worth visiting. The island has many beaches, most of which are made of black pebbly sand that are a result of the island's volcanic history. Popular beaches include Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach.

Belfast is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Hiking?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for the nearby hiking options. However, Belfast is not a hiking destination.

Santorini has hiking trails worth exploring. The best hiking trails on the island pass by quaint villages and offers stunning ocean views. You can also hike along the edge of a volcano.

Belfast is not a hiking destination.


Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Belfast?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a well-known place for shopping. Also, Belfast is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping opportunities.

Santorini is an extremely popular place for shoppers. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Belfast. The main shopping areas in the city are Victoria Square Shopping Centre and CastleCourt.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Families?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini and Belfast are both nice destinations for the whole family.

Santorini offers lots of family activities. It is a calmer destination than many of the Greek Islands. While it's a great place to relax with kids, the beaches aren't as good as they are on some of the other islands. Most families hang out in Kamari and Perissa Beach.

Belfast is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has several great kid-friendly museums, a zoo, and a few indoor or outdoor activity centers where you can let kids play and explore.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Couples?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is an unbeatable place for romance. However, Belfast is not a good city for its romantic activities.

Santorini has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. It is a dream honeymoon destination that is famous for its picturesque setting and luxury resorts. For many couples, this is a top pick for a romantic trip to the Greek Isles.

Most people don't think of Belfast as a couple's destination. There are gardens and parks to explore, several nice hotels with spas, and an Observatory on the 23rd floor of the Grand Central Hotel.


Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for backpackers. However, Belfast is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Santorini. The island has its share of 5 star resorts, but if you head a few streets in you'll find some surprisingly affordable accommodation. Backpackers are welcomed on the island and beaches are free, so it's possible to get by on a relatively low budget.

Belfast is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's a reasonably affordable destination with a few hostels to choose from, but most backpackers don't make their way to this city.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Students?

Santorini
Belfast

Belfast is a nice place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Santorini is not popular with students.

It's common for students to visit Belfast. The city's affordability has made it a popular option for international students headed to the area.

Santorini is not popular with students.

Is Santorini or Belfast Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its public transit. However, Belfast is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.

Santorini has a few public transit options. There is a bus system, KTEL Santorini Buses, that runs 23 buses during the summer months but only a small fraction of that operate during the winter months.

Public transit is mostly limited in Belfast. There is a bus service in the city.


Is Santorini or Belfast a more walkable city?

Santorini
Belfast

Santorini and Belfast are nice when it comes to walkability.

Santorini is a somewhat walkable place. Many towns on the island are walkable, including Fira, but the actual island is too large to explore on foot.

Belfast is a somewhat walkable island.

For even more information, also check out Is Santorini Worth Visiting? and Is Belfast Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Belfast or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Belfast?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Santorini and Belfast. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Santorini than in Belfast. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 1-3 days is enough time in Belfast.

Families should spend more time in Santorini than Belfast. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Santorini, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santorini than Belfast. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santorini that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santorini than Belfast if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santorini.


  • How many days in Santorini or Belfast? Ideal Length of Stay
    Santorini 3-7 
    Belfast 1-3

One day in Santorini or Belfast?

In Santorini, you'll find shopping and museums. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This island offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

You'll find nightlife and shopping around the city of Belfast. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Belfast has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Santorini or Belfast?

In Santorini, you'll find museums and nightlife. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

You'll find shopping and nightlife around the authentic destination of Belfast. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.


Five days in Santorini or Belfast?

Santorini is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santorini has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the under-rated city of Belfast. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Santorini or Belfast?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santorini. In Santorini, you'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling. It's also a relaxing resort destination. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one week here.

Belfast is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to United Kingdom, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United Kingdom.


Which place is cheaper, Belfast or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €175, while the average daily cost in Belfast is €155. 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 Santorini and Belfast in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini 93
    Belfast 80
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini 186
    Belfast 160
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Belfast

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Belfast? 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 Santorini


Hotels in Belfast


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Santorini Hotel Prices and Belfast Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini 28
    Belfast 17

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

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

  • One-Way Transfer to/from the Port or Airport: $15
  • Economy Roundtrip Transfer Santorini Airport ( Max 4 stop ): $15
  • Santorini Private Transfer From or To Airport: $16
  • Shared Transfer From Airport and Port to Santorini: $17
  • Santorini Private Transfer Services: $20
  • Shuttle Transfers From or To Santorini Port: $21
  • Private Transfer Santorini: $22
  • Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $22
  • Departure Shared Transfer in Santorini Island: $22
  • Santorini shared transfer: $22
  • Private Transfers To/From Airport, Port & Hotels: $22
  • Departure Private Transfer Santorini to Santorini Airport JTR by Sedan Car: $23

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belfast

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Belfast:

  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Dublin Airport: $294
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Derrygonnelly: $286
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Belcoo: $286
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Bellanaleck: $268
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Kinawley: $264
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Lisnarick: $259
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Ballinamallard: $248
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Castlederg: $248
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Lisnaskea: $243
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Maguiresbridge: $243
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Tempo: $241
  • Private Transfer from Belfast City Airport (BHD) to Newtownbutler: $236

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Belfast?

Prices for flights to both Belfast and Santorini 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
    Santorini 48
    Belfast 59

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

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

  • Romantic Sunset Caldera Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Volcanic Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $80
  • Catamaran Tour with BBQ Dinner, Drinks, and Music: $91
  • Volcano and Hot Springs Sunset Dinner Cruise: $96
  • Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $120
  • Sunset Cruise with Swim Stops, Dinner, and Drinks: $120
  • Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings: $123
  • Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini with dinner: $123
  • Luxury Sunset Cruise with Dinner & Open Bar: $128
  • Sunset Sea Kayak with Light Dinner: $128
  • Hands on Cooking Class with a Chef: $134

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belfast

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Belfast.

  • Guided Craft Beer and Street Food Tour: $81
  • Belfast Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $108

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini 36
    Belfast 21

Tours and Activities in Santorini

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

  • Authentic A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Oia: $6.99
  • Megalochori: Lost Atlantis 9D Experience Museum Entry Ticket: $15
  • Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $15
  • E-Ticket to Akrotiri with Audio Tour on your Phone: $15
  • Akrotiri Archaeological Site Entry Ticket: $16
  • Refundable Ticket for Akrotiri Archaeological Site : $20
  • Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $27
  • Volcanic Islands Cruise with Hot Springs Visit: $28
  • Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $33
  • Santorini Volcano Tour: $37
  • Santorini Volcano & Hot Springs Tour : $40
  • Santorini Volcano Half Day Tour: $44

Typical Entertainment Prices in Belfast

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Belfast are as follows:


  • Movie Tickets
    9.33

Tours and Activities in Belfast

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

  • Belfast A Music and StreetArt Experience. Small Gr Walking Tour : $25
  • Belfast The Troubles cab tour Adventure 2hrs personal guide : $113
  • Historical Private Tour in Belfast : $76
  • 2 Hour Fungi Experience in Belfast: $62
  • 2 hour Private Political History & Murals Tour Belfast: $70
  • 2 hours Belfast Original Drivers The Troubles Black Taxi Tour: $92
  • 3 Hour extended Murals Tour: $101
  • A History of Terror - Belfast City Centre Walking Tour : $28
  • Antrim Coast Carrickfergus and Gobbins Cliff Experience: $437
  • Award winners Express 2 hrs Black Taxi tours and Mural Taxi Tour: $158
  • Belfast Black Taxi Tour of Murals and Peace Walls 2 hours: $114
  • Belfast Famous Black taxi political mural peace wall tour 2 hour: $125

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini 26
    Belfast 9.16

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

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

  • Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $60
  • Top Sights Day Trip, Wine Tasting, & Oia Sunset: $63
  • Fira Town Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
  • Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $75
  • Notos Day Tour through History & Wine Tasting: $98
  • Santorini 4 Hour Private Oia Tour & Wine Tasting : $105
  • Wine Tour with Sunset in Oia: $106
  • Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Fira: $109
  • 5 towns in 5 hours: Santorini Most Popular Tour with Wine tasting: $117
  • Wine Tour Santorini: $118
  • Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $131
  • Santorini 4-Hour Private Tour including Wine Tasting, Shore Excursion: $136

Sample the Local Flavors in Belfast

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Belfast:

  • Pub Crawl and Bar Walking Tour with Two Drinks: $15
  • Belfast Pub Crawl: $15
  • Explore & Taste: Distillery Tour at Titanic Distillers: $32
  • Belfast Giant's Causeway and Titanic Distillery Whiskey Tour: $69
  • VIP Skip-the Line Titanic Museum and Distillery Tasting Tour: $119


When comparing the travel costs between Santorini and Belfast, we can see that Santorini 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 Santorini Expensive? and Is Belfast Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Santorini or Belfast?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Belfast. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Belfast, 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.