Relocation Salary Calculator

Dublin is typically 8–12% more expensive than London overall in 2026, primarily due to higher housing costs. However, Irish income tax rates are also higher than UK rates at comparable salary levels when you include USC and PRSI. A practical rule of thumb: if you earn £80,000 in London (approximately €94,000 at current rates), you'd need roughly €105,000–€115,000 gross in Dublin to maintain an equivalent net purchasing power. The calculator above gives a precise figure based on both after-tax take-home and the cost of living differential.

A €90,000 gross in Dublin yields approximately €57,000–€59,000 net (single, 2026). London is roughly 8% cheaper than Dublin overall. Adjusting for cost of living, you need approximately £64,000–£68,000 gross in London to maintain equivalent purchasing power after UK income tax and National Insurance. The calculator accounts for both the tax system differences and the cost of living gap in a single step.

Dublin is significantly more expensive than Manchester, typically 22–28% overall in 2026, driven mainly by housing costs. Dublin's average rent is roughly double Manchester's. This means you need materially higher gross pay in Dublin to match a Manchester lifestyle, but you also need to factor in that Irish tax rates are higher. The calculator handles both factors: the cost of living adjustment is applied to your net take-home, and the required gross in Ireland is back-calculated through the full Irish tax system.

Cork is approximately 10% cheaper than Dublin overall in 2026, primarily due to lower housing costs — average rents in Cork are meaningfully below Dublin's. Interestingly, this puts Cork at a similar cost of living level to London (within roughly 2%). Moving from Manchester or Birmingham to Cork still requires a higher salary in Cork due to the cost difference, but the gap is considerably smaller than a Dublin move. The calculator pre-fills cost of living differentials for all Cork city pairs, and you can adjust them to match your specific housing and lifestyle situation.

Gross salary comparisons are misleading when you are moving between Ireland and the UK because both countries have different tax systems, rates, and band thresholds. A €90,000 gross in Dublin and a £90,000 gross in London are taxed differently, and the gap in purchasing power cannot be seen from the gross figures alone. The calculator computes your exact net take-home in the origin city, adjusts it by the cost of living differential, and then solves for what gross salary in the destination city produces that purchasing-power-adjusted net.

The pre-filled differentials are estimated from 2025–2026 data across Numbeo, Mercer's Cost of Living survey, and ECA International rankings for Dublin, London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. They represent overall living costs for a single professional, weighted toward housing (which has the largest impact). Your actual cost of living change will depend on housing type, transport needs, lifestyle choices, and exact location within each city. You can override the pre-filled value with your own estimate using the slider.

The calculator compares net take-home within each country's tax system and currency. The cost of living differential expresses how much more or less expensive the destination is, which implicitly accounts for the purchasing power relationship between EUR and GBP. For cross-currency comparison in a single number, use the Dublin vs London Calculator which converts both net figures to EUR at a live-adjustable exchange rate.

Beyond the core salary and tax comparison, factor in: moving costs (£5,000–£20,000 depending on distance and volume), deposit and letting fees in the new city, any visa or work permit costs if applicable, differences in employer pension contributions and benefits, and the opportunity cost of a possible gap between roles. For moves to Ireland, also consider whether your employer offers a Critical Skills Employment Permit if required and whether your salary meets the relevant threshold.