Dublin vs London
Salary equivalence calculator
Price-level ratio 1.055. Adjust to recalculate.
| Metric | Dublin | London | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level index (NYC=100) | 78.0 | 82.3 | +5.5% |
| Rent index (NYC=100) | 72.0 | 74.6 | +3.6% |
| Equivalent of €120,000 | €120,000 | €126,615 | costlier |
- London is about 6% more expensive than Dublin, so you need a higher nominal salary to break even.
How far does your salary go in London?
Moving from Dublin to London changes your cost of living in ways a currency conversion can't capture. What matters is purchasing power: how much the same basket of housing, food, transport and services costs in each place. On our index, where New York City = 100, Dublin sits at 78.0 and London at 82.3.
That makes London roughly 6% more expensive. A salary of €120,000 in Dublin translates to about €126,615 in London. Above that and you gain in real terms; below it and you take an effective pay cut.
Housing drives the gap
Rent is the largest and most variable line in most budgets. London's rent index is 74.6 versus Dublin's 72.0.
Common mistakes
- Converting currency instead of purchasing power.
- Ignoring taxes, which vary by jurisdiction.
- Forgetting one-off relocation costs.
Bottom line
London is about 6% more expensive than Dublin, so you need a higher nominal salary to break even. Use the calculator to plug in your real salary and compare against any concrete offer.
Rent equivalence: Dublin vs London
Based on the rent-index ratio of 1.036 (Dublin 72.0 vs London 74.6, NYC = 100).
Housing is usually the biggest single difference between two cities, and it moves independently of the overall price level. Renting the equivalent home in London costs about 4% more than in Dublin. Enter your actual rent above to see what a like-for-like place would cost after you move — a more honest gauge of affordability than a raw salary conversion, since renters and owners feel very different impacts.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need in London to match Dublin?
To keep the same standard of living as €120,000 in Dublin, you would need roughly €126,615 in London, a price-level ratio of 1.06.
Is London more expensive than Dublin?
Yes, by about 6% on the overall price level.
How much is rent in London compared to Dublin?
Rent in London is about 4% higher than in Dublin (rent indices 72.0 vs 74.6, NYC = 100). Use the rent calculator on this page for your exact figure.
How is the equivalent salary calculated?
We multiply your salary by the ratio of the two cities' composite price-level indices (housing, food, transport, services), benchmarked so New York City = 100.
Methodology
We build a composite price-level index for each city from official regional price parities and international purchasing-power parities across housing, food, transport and services, normalized so New York City = 100. The equivalent salary is your salary multiplied by the ratio of the destination index to the origin index. It estimates the income needed to hold real purchasing power constant and does not model taxes.