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Athens vs Dublin

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Athens, GR vs Dublin, IE at a glance — Dublin, IE is 80% more expensive than Athens, GR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,200/mo versus $750/mo. Top income tax: 40% vs 44%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Dublin, IE, you'd need

$135,258 / year

Dublin, IE is 80% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Dublin, IE vs Athens, GR)

  • Housing+144%
  • Food & groceries+54%
  • Transport+100%
  • Utilities+22%
  • Healthcare+69%
  • Goods & services+50%

◎ How Athens, GR and Dublin, IE compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Athens, GRDublin, IE

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Athens, GRDublin, IE
Cost of living
Overall cost index75135
Housing72176
Food78120
Transport55110
Utilities100122
Healthcare65110
Goods & services80120
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$750/mo$2,200/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$550/mo$1,700/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,400/mo$4,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$2,800$8,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,335$740
Inexpensive meal$13$20
Monthly transit pass$30$110
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)44%40%
VAT / sales tax24%23%
Social security (employee)—4%
Corporate tax22%12.5%
Capital gains—33%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$1,000/mo$3,300/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$32,412✓$70,113✓
Minimum wage$1,244/mo✓$2,772/mo✓
GDP per capita$23,565✓$131,592✓
Inflation (annual)2.6%✓2.2%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyModerateNative
Coworking spaces3550
Time zoneUTC+2UTC+0
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6668
Safety index6255
Healthcare index6574
Pollution index5530
Internet speed100 Mbps100 Mbps
Walkability7578
Public transport7265
Family-friendly6264
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy82 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceModerateHigh
Climate
January avg+10 °C+5 °C
July avg+28 °C+16 °C
Sunny days / year25070
Rainfall / year400 mm760 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub2 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Greece vs Ireland. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Athens vs Dublin — in your currency

AthensDublin
1-bed rent, city centre$750$2,200
1-bed rent, outside centre$550$1,700
Inexpensive meal$13$20
Monthly transit pass$30$110
Utilities (monthly)$190$220

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Athens

Ancient ruins, Mediterranean sun and a coastline on the doorstep — the cheapest of the big Western-European capitals, with a golden visa and a 50% tax break drawing nomads. Grittier than the postcard, and warming fast.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
Greek
Time zone
UTC+2
Internet
100 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
62/100
Climate
❄ 10°C · ☀ 28°C · 250 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Koukaki · Kolonaki · Exarchia · Glyfada

Good to know before you move to Dublin

Europe's English-speaking tech HQ (Google, Meta, Stripe) — great jobs, but a genuine housing crunch.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
English, Irish
Time zone
UTC+0
Internet
100 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 16°C · 70 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
G · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
City Centre · Rathmines · Portobello

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Athens to Dublin: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Athens to Dublin, your cost of living will be roughly 80% more expensive. Dublin’s cost-of-living index is 135 versus 75 for Athens (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Athens cheaper than Dublin?

Dublin is about 80% more expensive than Athens overall — its cost-of-living index is 135 versus 75 for Athens.

Which is more expensive, Athens or Dublin?

Dublin is more expensive than Athens. Its cost-of-living index is 135 vs 75 (US = 100) — about 80% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Athens or Dublin?

Rent is cheaper in Athens — about $750/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,200 in Dublin.

How much do you need to earn in Dublin to live like in Athens?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Athens is worth about $135,258 in Dublin. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Athens or Dublin?

Ireland has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 44% in Greece.

◷ More comparisons from Athens

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.