Dublinvs
LondonDublin vs London: cost, size & quality of life compared
Trying to decide between Dublin and London? Here's the honest bottom line first — then the full, sourced breakdown on cost of living, salary, safety and quality of life.
Dublin comes out ahead overall — by a narrow edge.
But the "winner" depends on what you care about. Here's who takes each dimension:
DublinDublinDublinDublinComposite scores
Overall: Dublin wins by 0.2 points
Population & size
Is Dublin bigger than London?
London is the bigger city: about 9.0M people versus Dublin's 1.4M — roughly 6.4× larger.
City-proper / metro population estimates. Size is one input — scroll on for cost of living, salary equivalence and quality-of-life scoring.
National income
Is Dublin richer than London?
United Kingdom is the higher earner — average annual wage of $63,691 against $60,431 in Ireland, about 5% more in purchasing-power terms.
Country-level figures — Dublin is not Ireland and London is not United Kingdom, and both cities typically pay above their national average. Gross, before tax: see take-home pay by country for what lands in the account.
Distance
How far is Dublin from London?
Dublin is about 460 km (290 mi) from London 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.
Climate
Is Dublin warmer than London?
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 | Dublin | London |
|---|---|---|
| January (high / low) | 8° / 2°C | 8° / 2°C |
| July (high / low) | 19° / 12°C | 23° / 14°C |
Cool, wet, gray. Mild winters by latitude standards but extremely overcast and rainy year-round. Summer temperatures rarely above 22°C.
Famously gray and damp. Mild winters compared to continental peers, cool summers — heatwaves above 30°C still rare.
Dublin's 4.8 and London's 4.9 reveal two world-class cities operating at near-identical performance levels, making this less about one city's dominance and more about matching your specific priorities.
A 0.1-point difference separates them—statistically negligible, yet London's slight edge reflects its broader scale and institutional depth versus Dublin's emerging momentum.
Skip the rankings entirely and compare specific metrics that matter to you: cost of living, job market in your field, or commute patterns—the narrow gap means either city could be right depending on your actual needs.
Data signals
What separates Dublin and London
How decisive
Dublin comes out ahead by 0.2 composite points — a narrow edge.
Biggest difference
The widest gap is affordability, where Dublin leads by 1.2 points.
Where they match
They're most evenly matched on remote-work friendliness — within 0.0 points of each other.
Overall cost gap
Total monthly costs in London run about 21% higher than in Dublin.
Where budgets split most
Transport is the line item that diverges most: roughly 145% pricier in London than Dublin.
Size difference
London is the larger metro — about 6.4× the population of the other, which shapes commute times, housing supply and how "big-city" daily life feels.
Score-by-score, side-by-side
Each axis is scored independently with disclosed weights and a calculation string.
The exact scores and winners:
| Axis | Dublin | London | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 4.4 | 3.2 | Dublin +1.2 |
| Quality of life | 6.8 | 6.4 | Dublin +0.4 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.9 | 5.9 | Dublin +0.0 |
| Healthcare | 7.7 | 8.3 | London +0.6 |
Each axis is a weighted aggregate of underlying indicators normalized to a 0–10 scale. Weights are explicit and disclosed per axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes — axes are not collapsed further because the underlying trade-offs (e.g. low cost vs poor air quality) are user-dependent.
Affordability
- Cost-of-living index (weight 60%)58
- Rent index (weight 40%)54
How this is calculated
Affordability = ((100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − rentIndex)/100 × 0.4) × 10. For Dublin: ((100 − 58)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − 54)/100 × 0.4) × 10 = 4.4.
Dublin is among the more expensive cities tracked. Salary expectations should be calibrated to the high cost base before relocating.
Quality of life
- Safety index (weight 40%)60
- Healthcare index (weight 35%)75
- Air quality index (weight 25%)72
How this is calculated
QoL = (safety/100 × 0.4 + healthcare/100 × 0.35 + airQuality/100 × 0.25) × 10. For Dublin: (60/100 × 0.4 + 75/100 × 0.35 + 72/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.8.
Dublin has a mixed quality profile. Safety: good; healthcare: good; air: good. Weigh the weakest axis against your personal priorities.
Remote-work friendliness
- Internet (median Mbps) (weight 45%)170 Mbps
- Effective income tax (lower = better) (weight 30%)24.0%
- Cost-of-living (lower = better) (weight 25%)58
How this is calculated
RemoteWork = (min(Mbps/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − incomeTax) × 0.3 + (100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.25) × 10. For Dublin: (min(170/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − 0.2396) × 0.3 + (100 − 58)/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 5.9.
Dublin works for remote work but isn't optimized for it: internet 170 Mbps, income tax 24%, cost index 58.
Healthcare
- Healthcare quality index (weight 70%)75
- Healthcare out-of-pocket / month (lower = better) (weight 30%)89
How this is calculated
Healthcare = (qualityIndex/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − OOP/500) × 0.3) × 10. For Dublin: (75/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − 89/500) × 0.3) × 10 = 7.7.
Dublin combines good system quality with a manageable out-of-pocket cost (~89 EUR/month). Travel insurance still recommended for non-residents.
Each axis is a weighted aggregate of underlying indicators normalized to a 0–10 scale. Weights are explicit and disclosed per axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes — axes are not collapsed further because the underlying trade-offs (e.g. low cost vs poor air quality) are user-dependent.
Affordability
- Cost-of-living index (weight 60%)70
- Rent index (weight 40%)65
How this is calculated
Affordability = ((100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − rentIndex)/100 × 0.4) × 10. For London: ((100 − 70)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − 65)/100 × 0.4) × 10 = 3.2.
London is among the more expensive cities tracked. Salary expectations should be calibrated to the high cost base before relocating.
Quality of life
- Safety index (weight 40%)60
- Healthcare index (weight 35%)75
- Air quality index (weight 25%)55
How this is calculated
QoL = (safety/100 × 0.4 + healthcare/100 × 0.35 + airQuality/100 × 0.25) × 10. For London: (60/100 × 0.4 + 75/100 × 0.35 + 55/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.4.
London has a mixed quality profile. Safety: good; healthcare: good; air: good. Weigh the weakest axis against your personal priorities.
Remote-work friendliness
- Internet (median Mbps) (weight 45%)170 Mbps
- Effective income tax (lower = better) (weight 30%)14.8%
- Cost-of-living (lower = better) (weight 25%)70
How this is calculated
RemoteWork = (min(Mbps/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − incomeTax) × 0.3 + (100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.25) × 10. For London: (min(170/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − 0.1478) × 0.3 + (100 − 70)/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 5.9.
London works for remote work but isn't optimized for it: internet 170 Mbps, income tax 15%, cost index 70.
Healthcare
- Healthcare quality index (weight 70%)75
- Healthcare out-of-pocket / month (lower = better) (weight 30%)0
How this is calculated
Healthcare = (qualityIndex/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − OOP/500) × 0.3) × 10. For London: (75/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − 0/500) × 0.3) × 10 = 8.3.
London combines good system quality with a manageable out-of-pocket cost (~0 GBP/month). Travel insurance still recommended for non-residents.
Monthly cost delta: Dublin vs London
Normalized to EUR at 1 GBP = 1.1761 EUR.
| Category | Dublin | London | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| housing | €2,160 | £2,233 | +22% |
| food | €332 | £292 | +3% |
| transport | €96 | £200 | +145% |
| utilities | €232 | £275 | +39% |
| leisure | €332 | £324 | +15% |
| healthcare | €89 | £0 | -100% |
Where each city's money goes
Two cities can have the same monthly total but very different shapes — one might burn 50% on housing while the other splits more evenly. The composition matters as much as the headline.
The biggest shape difference is transport: London spends 3.1 percentage points more of its budget on it (6% vs. 3%). If you're sensitive to that category, weight the per-axis scores accordingly.
Buying property
Apartment prices: Dublin vs London
Approximate asking prices in EUR per square meter (as of 2025-01), central vs mid-distance neighborhoods.
Buying in central Dublin runs about 38% cheaper per square meter (€7,500/m² vs €12,000/m²).
Midpoints of public listing ranges — a scoping number for rent-vs-buy thinking, not a valuation. Renting comparisons live in the cost table above.
Getting around
Public transport: Dublin vs London
Monthly pass and casual-ride pricing in EUR (as of 2025-01) plus the modes each network runs.
TFI Leap monthly cap €175; light-rail Luas plus DART commuter rail plus buses, no metro yet (MetroLink in planning).
Day pass: €11.2 · Modes: Tram, Bus, Commuter rail
Travelcard zones 1-2 ≈ £170/mo; Oyster pay-as-you-go with daily caps is usually cheaper than the monthly for most commute patterns.
Day pass: €8.5 · Modes: Metro, Tram, Bus, Commuter rail, Ferry, Light rail
Salary equivalence: Dublin ↔ London
What earning the same purchasing power costs in each city. Cost-adjusted using the local cost-of-living index (Dublin = 58, London = 70); currency-converted at 1 GBP = 1.1761 EUR. Tax differences are not modeled.
| Dublin gross | London equivalent |
|---|---|
| €40,000 | £41,049 |
| €75,000 | £76,967 |
| €120,000 | £123,147 |
| London gross | Dublin equivalent |
|---|---|
| £40,000 | €38,978 |
| £75,000 | €73,083 |
| £120,000 | €116,934 |
Equivalence here means same cost-of-living purchasing power, not same net take-home. Effective tax rates differ between countries; a salary equivalent on cost can still net more or less depending on the destination's tax regime. Use the calculator for tax-adjusted figures at a specific lifestyle tier.
Pros and cons
Why pick Dublin
- Wins on affordability (+1.2 points vs London).
- Wins on quality of life (+0.4 points vs London).
Why pick London
- Wins on healthcare (+0.6 points vs Dublin).
Dublin trade-offs
- Trails London on healthcare by 0.6 points.
London trade-offs
- Trails Dublin on affordability by 1.2 points.
Remote work logistics
Time zones and language: Dublin vs London
Dublin (Europe/Dublin) and London (Europe/London) share the same standard-time offset — meetings, markets and deadlines line up 1:1.
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.
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.
Who should choose which
The composite winner doesn't always match what matters to you. These four reader profiles weigh the axes differently — find the closest fit.
Single, salaried remote worker, 25-40, optimizing for runway + bandwidth.
Axes scored: affordability, remoteWork
Couple with school-age children, prioritizing safety, healthcare, and air quality.
Axes scored: qualityOfLife, healthcare
Fixed income, healthcare-sensitive, prefers low cost and stable infrastructure.
Axes scored: healthcare, qualityOfLife, affordability
Salary stretch matters most. Cuts everything else if it lowers the burn rate.
Axes scored: affordability
Profiles use simple axis averaging — for a deeper read with your own weights, use the per-axis breakdown above.
Zoom out from cities to countries: compare Ireland vs United Kingdom on average wage, take-home after tax and cost of living.
Going deeper
Visa landscape for both countries — and case studies that touch this corridor.
Tools that work for either choice
Some links below are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
How this page is calculated
Data sources
- Mundevo per-city dataset. Cost basket, rent index, safety, healthcare, air quality and median internet for both cities. Reference date: 2026-05-28 (Dublin) and 2026-05-23 (London).
- FX rate. 1 GBP = 1.1761 EUR, used to normalize cost baskets.
- CityScoreCalculator. Four axes (Affordability, Quality of life, Remote work, Healthcare) computed with explicit weights and explanations. See per-axis calculation strings rendered on this page.
- ComparisonService. Per-category cost deltas (housing, food, transport, utilities, leisure, healthcare) normalized to the origin currency.
Update cadence
Data as of . Last reviewed .
Calculation
For each of the four axes we compute an independent 0–10 score using the formulas printed beside each axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes. The overall winner is the city with the higher composite, unless the margin is under 0.05 points — in which case Dublin is shown first as a tiebreaker to keep results stable.
Limitations
- Climate is not scored — we don't yet hold a maintained climate dataset, so weather-driven preferences are not modeled.
- Tax differences between cities in the same country are not modeled (Spain and Germany don't have material regional differences for this dataset).
- Indices are population-level. Personal cost varies with neighborhood, employer benefits and family status.
- Quality-of-life axis weights (safety 0.4 / healthcare 0.35 / air 0.25) are editorial defaults — readers with strong preferences should re-weight manually.
Frequently asked questions
Dublin vs London: which is cheaper?
Dublin is roughly 21% cheaper than London on the monthly cost basket (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). Dublin has cost index 58 vs London at 70 (both with New York = 100).
Which city has better quality of life?
Dublin scores 6.2/10 on the Mundevo composite versus London at 6.0/10. The composite weights safety (40%), healthcare (35%) and air quality (25%). Dublin wins overall by 0.2 points.
Is Dublin or London better for remote work?
Dublin has 170 Mbps median internet vs London at 170 Mbps. The four-axis decision rubric on this page (affordability, quality of life, remote work, healthcare) gives a per-dimension breakdown rather than a single answer.
Is Dublin bigger than London?
London is larger — about 9.0M people versus Dublin's 1.4M, roughly 6.4× the size.
Is Dublin safer than London?
Dublin and London score similarly on safety (60 vs 60 / 100 on the Mundevo safety index).
Should I move to Dublin or London?
It depends on what you weight. Dublin wins the overall Mundevo composite by 0.2 points, but Dublin is cheaper, and the two split differently across affordability, quality of life, remote work and healthcare. Use the per-axis table and the reader-profile section above to match the verdict to your own priorities.