United Kingdomvs
IrelandUnited Kingdom vs Ireland: salary, tax & cost of living
Average wage, take-home after tax and cost of living, side by side — on real OECD wage data, PPP-adjusted. The headline salary and the net paycheck don't always point the same way.
United Kingdom leaves the bigger net paycheck on the average wage.
Highest headline salary isn't always the most in your pocket — here's who takes each dimension:
United KingdomUnited KingdomUnited KingdomIrelandHead to head
United Kingdom vs Ireland, visualised
The exact figures:
| Metric | United Kingdom | Ireland | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average wage (PPP) | $63,691 | $60,431 | United Kingdom |
| Payroll deduction | 26% | 29% | United Kingdom |
| Net take-home (avg wage) | $47,131 | $42,906 | United Kingdom |
| Cost index (NY=100) | 70 | 58 | Ireland |
Average wage: OECD (PPP). Tax is an effective single-filer rate at the average wage; cost index is each country's anchor city (London / Dublin).
Purchasing power
Where does the average salary go further, United Kingdom or Ireland?
Ireland. Adjusted for local prices, the average net wage in Ireland buys about $73,976 of NY-baseline living costs per year vs $67,330 — a 9% gap.
Formula: net average wage ÷ (cost index / 100). Based on OECD average full-time wages (PPP), not median household income — averages skew above the median.
Distance
How far is United Kingdom from Ireland?
United Kingdom is about 460 km (290 mi) from Ireland in a straight line — roughly 1 h 20 m of nonstop flight time.
Great-circle distance, not a routed itinerary; flight estimate assumes ~850 km/h cruise plus 45 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Measured between the anchor cities London and Dublin.
Climate
Is London warmer than Dublin?
London is the warmer city: January highs average 8°C vs 8°C, and July 23°C vs 19°C. London gets noticeably more sun — about 150 more sunshine hours per year.
| Month | London | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| January (high / low) | 8° / 2°C | 8° / 2°C |
| July (high / low) | 23° / 14°C | 19° / 12°C |
Famously gray and damp. Mild winters compared to continental peers, cool summers — heatwaves above 30°C still rare.
Cool, wet, gray. Mild winters by latitude standards but extremely overcast and rainy year-round. Summer temperatures rarely above 22°C.
Remote work logistics
Time zones and language: London vs Dublin
London (Europe/London) and Dublin (Europe/Dublin) share the same standard-time offset — meetings, markets and deadlines line up 1:1.
Official: English · English: Native-equivalent · Local language: Not needed
English-native. Multicultural enough that other languages are common in specific neighborhoods but English is the universal default for everything.
Official: English, Irish (Gaeilge) · English: Native-equivalent · Local language: Not needed
English-native. Irish has official status and appears on signage and government documents but is rarely required in practice — only an issue for specific civil-service roles.
Data signals
What actually separates them
Who keeps more
On the average wage, United Kingdom leaves the bigger net paycheck — about $4,225 more per year ($47,131 in United Kingdom vs $42,906 in Ireland, PPP).
Payroll deduction
United Kingdom takes less off the top: ~26% vs ~29% combined income tax + social security.
Cost of living
Ireland is the cheaper base: cost index 58 vs 70 (London / Dublin, New York = 100). Higher net pay doesn't help if rent eats it.
Purchasing power
Adjusted for local prices, the average net wage goes further in Ireland: $73,976 vs $67,330 of NY-baseline living costs per year. Based on OECD average full-time wages (PPP), not median household income.
Banking & transfers for either move
Some links below are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
- Is the average salary higher in United Kingdom or Ireland?
- United Kingdom has the higher OECD average wage: $63,691 in United Kingdom vs $60,431 in Ireland (PPP-adjusted). But after tax, United Kingdom keeps more net.
- Where do you take home more after tax?
- United Kingdom — about $4,225 more net per year on the average wage, once income tax and social security are applied.
- Which is cheaper to live in?
- Ireland, by cost index (London 70 vs Dublin 58, NY = 100). Weigh net pay against cost together, not separately.
- Where does the average salary go further, United Kingdom or Ireland?
- Ireland. Adjusted for local prices, the average net wage in Ireland buys about $73,976 of NY-baseline living costs per year vs $67,330 — a 9% gap. Based on OECD average full-time wages (PPP), not median household income — averages skew above the median.