Key takeaways
The short answer: you need less in London than you think, but not for the reasons people expect
When tech professionals in Dublin start exploring a London move, the instinct is to look at the gross salary number and ask: "do I need more or less?" The answer is almost always less, but understanding why matters a great deal.
There are two forces at work. First, Dublin is approximately 8-10% more expensive than London overall in 2026, primarily because of housing. If you currently spend €2,200 per month on rent in Dublin, an equivalent London flat in zones 2-3 will cost roughly £1,800-£2,000. That is a meaningful reduction in required living costs.
Second, the UK tax system is less aggressive at higher income levels than Ireland's. Once your income exceeds €44,000 in Ireland, you pay 52% marginal tax (40% Income Tax, 8% USC, 4% PRSI). The UK's equivalent above £50,270 is 42% (40% Income Tax, 2% National Insurance). This means the same gross in London produces more net take-home than in Dublin, and you need less London gross to achieve a given net.
The table below shows the required London gross at common Dublin salary levels, assuming Dublin is 8% more expensive overall. All figures are for a single individual in 2026.
Dublin to London: required gross salary comparison 2026
Single individual · Dublin 8% more expensive than London · 2026 tax rates (Revenue.ie + HMRC)
| Dublin gross | Dublin net | Required London gross | London net |
|---|---|---|---|
| €75,000 | ~€52,600 | ~£65,000 | ~£48,300 |
| €90,000 | ~€59,800 | ~£77,000 | ~£55,200 |
| €100,000 | ~€64,600 | ~£85,000 | ~£59,900 |
| €120,000 | ~€74,200 | ~£100,000 | ~£68,600 |
Why a direct gross comparison misleads you every time
The most common mistake people make when planning a Dublin to London move is taking their Dublin gross and asking: "is this London offer higher or lower?" That question is almost meaningless.
Consider two professionals, one on €90,000 in Dublin and one on £90,000 in London. At first glance these look identical. They are not. The Dublin professional takes home approximately €59,800 per year. The London professional on £90,000 takes home approximately £60,200. On the surface that seems comparable, but Dublin costs roughly 8% more to live in than London. The London professional's £60,200 buys more lifestyle than the Dublin professional's €59,800, even before you account for the EUR/GBP exchange rate.
The correct question is not "is my London gross the same?" It is: "does my London net take-home cover the same lifestyle after adjusting for the cost of living difference?" That is precisely what the relocation calculator below computes.
Calculate your exact Dublin to London salary equivalent
The table above uses an 8% CoL differential. Your actual required gross depends on your current salary, marital status, and where in London you plan to live. Adjust the cost of living slider for your circumstances.
Open Relocation Salary CalculatorThe tax picture: where the UK system works in your favour
Ireland's tax structure is genuinely burdensome for higher earners. The 40% income tax rate kicks in at €44,000 for a single person in 2026. Add 8% USC and 4% PRSI, and your marginal rate on every euro above that threshold is 52%. That is one of the highest marginal rates in the OECD for a salary in the €44,000 to €100,000 range.
The UK's structure is more generous in this range. The 40% higher rate doesn't apply until £50,270. National Insurance above that threshold is only 2%. So the UK's effective marginal rate of 42% sits 10 percentage points below Ireland's 52%. The practical consequence: moving from Dublin to London with the same gross income often means more money in your bank account each month, before you account for any cost of living difference.
Moving the other way: London to Dublin salary equivalents
The Dublin to London direction is the most common search, but many UK professionals are also considering Ireland, attracted by strong tech salaries at the hyperscalers, the company concentration in Dublin's Silicon Docks, and the favourable treatment of non-domicile income that can apply for new Irish tax residents.
Moving from London to Dublin requires a noticeably higher gross salary to maintain your purchasing power. Dublin's higher cost of living and Ireland's higher marginal tax rate above €44,000 both work against you. The table below shows approximate required Dublin gross salaries for common London starting points.
London to Dublin: required gross salary comparison 2026
Dublin 10% more expensive than London · single individual · 2026 tax rates
| London gross | London net | Required Dublin gross | Dublin net |
|---|---|---|---|
| £65,000 | ~£48,300 | ~€82,000 | ~€52,800 |
| £80,000 | ~£57,000 | ~€100,000 | ~€64,000 |
| £100,000 | ~£68,600 | ~€125,000 | ~€75,900 |
If London is not the destination: Dublin vs Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh
Not every Dublin professional considering a UK move is heading to London. If your role is remote or hybrid, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh are increasingly attractive. The cost of living advantage over Dublin in these cities is considerably larger, and the required UK gross to match your Dublin lifestyle is significantly lower as a result.
Manchester
~22% cheaper than Dublin
Largest CoL advantage. Strong tech scene with mature ecosystem.
Birmingham
~24% cheaper than Dublin
Fast-growing tech hub with lower housing costs than Manchester.
Edinburgh
~18% cheaper than Dublin
Quality of life leader. Growing fintech and AI cluster.
Use the relocation calculator to compare your specific Dublin salary against any of these cities. The cost of living differential is pre-filled for each city pair and you can adjust it to reflect your specific housing and lifestyle situation.
What the salary comparison does not capture
The relocation salary equivalent is a necessary input to the decision, not the whole decision. Several factors sit outside the tax and cost of living calculation and can materially affect whether a Dublin to London move makes financial sense.
If you are relocating for a higher offer
Once you know your equivalent salary in London, the next question is whether the new offer actually beats your current lifestyle. Use the salary increase calculator to see exactly how much more net pay the new offer delivers after UK tax. And if inflation is a concern, the inflation impact calculator shows whether the salary increase beats the UK cost of living rise in real terms.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in London to match €90,000 in Dublin?
With Dublin running approximately 8% more expensive than London overall in 2026, and accounting for the differences between the Irish and UK tax systems, you need roughly £77,000 gross in London to maintain the same purchasing power as €90,000 in Dublin. Your Dublin net take-home at €90,000 is approximately €59,800. London is cheaper, which reduces the required net target, but you still need a meaningful UK gross to achieve it after UK income tax and National Insurance.
Is London actually cheaper than Dublin in 2026?
Yes, broadly. Dublin is approximately 8-10% more expensive than London on an overall cost of living basis in 2026, driven primarily by housing. Average rents in Dublin city centre are consistently higher than equivalent London zones 2-3. However, London's outer zones are significantly cheaper than central London, so your actual cost difference depends heavily on where you choose to live. Transport costs in London can also be higher depending on your commute.
Why can't I just compare gross salaries directly?
Because the Irish and UK tax systems work very differently. Ireland's marginal rate above €44,000 combines 40% income tax, 8% USC, and 4% PRSI for a combined 52% marginal rate. The UK's marginal rate above £50,270 is 42% (40% income tax plus 2% National Insurance). A €90,000 gross in Dublin and a £90,000 gross in London produce very different net take-home figures, and those net figures are in different currencies with a purchasing power relationship determined by cost of living, not just the exchange rate.
What if I move to London on the same gross salary I earn in Dublin?
Moving to London on the same gross (treating your euro figure as a pound figure) will almost certainly leave you worse off than you expect. Your net take-home in London would typically be lower than in Dublin at the same gross, because UK tax rates are applied differently. On top of that, housing in Central London can absorb the cost savings from the slightly lower overall cost of living. Run the relocation salary calculator with your specific figures to see exactly what the same gross delivers in London after tax.
How does moving from Dublin to Manchester or Birmingham compare?
Significantly better value than London. Manchester and Birmingham are roughly 22-26% cheaper than Dublin overall, compared to London which is only 8% cheaper. That means the required gross salary in Manchester or Birmingham to match a Dublin lifestyle is considerably lower than in London. If your role is location-flexible and London is not a requirement, Manchester in particular offers a mature tech market with competitive salaries and a much more favourable cost of living gap vs Dublin.
Do I need to factor in currency exchange rates?
The relocation calculator uses a cost of living differential approach rather than live currency conversion, which captures the purchasing power relationship between cities more accurately than a simple EUR/GBP conversion. The reason is that the price level difference between Dublin and London is driven by local market conditions, not the daily exchange rate. If you want a currency-converted comparison of net salaries in a single figure, the Dublin vs London calculator on PayMetric Labs converts both nets to EUR at an adjustable exchange rate.
What other financial factors should I consider when moving from Dublin to London?
Beyond the salary and tax comparison, the main factors are: pension contributions (UK employers typically contribute 3-5% into a workplace pension, Irish employers vary more widely); equity and RSUs (if you are leaving a hyperscaler role in Dublin's Silicon Docks, the equity package may be difficult to replicate in London); stamp duty and deposit requirements if buying property; and the one-off cost of the move itself, which typically runs £5,000-£15,000 for a professional move. The UK does not require a visa or work permit for Irish citizens.
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