CostTrek

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Berlin 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.

Berlin, DE vs Dublin, IE at a glance — Dublin, IE is 23% more expensive than Berlin, DE overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $2,200/mo versus $1,400/mo. Top income tax: 40% vs 45%.

$/ year

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

$92,212 / year

Dublin, IE is 23% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Dublin, IE vs Berlin, DE)

  • Housing+44%
  • Food & groceries+11%
  • Transport+29%
  • Utilities-8%
  • Healthcare+16%
  • Goods & services+13%

◎ How Berlin, DE and Dublin, IE compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Berlin, DEDublin, IE

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

▤ Full comparison

Berlin, DEDublin, IE
Cost of living
Overall cost index110135
Housing122176
Food108120
Transport85110
Utilities132122
Healthcare95110
Goods & services106120
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,400/mo$2,200/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,000/mo$1,700/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,800/mo$4,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,500$8,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$910$740
Inexpensive meal$15$20
Monthly transit pass$55$110
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%40%
VAT / sales tax19%23%
Social security (employee)20%4%
Corporate tax30%12.5%
Capital gains26.4%33%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,900/mo$3,300/mo
Minimum wage$2,716/mo✓$2,772/mo✓
GDP per capita$60,496✓$131,592✓
Inflation (annual)2.2%✓2.2%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyHighNative
Coworking spaces12050
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+0
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6968
Safety index6055
Healthcare index7874
Pollution index5530
Internet speed120 Mbps100 Mbps
Walkability8878
Public transport9065
Family-friendly6864
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy81 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+1 °C+5 °C
July avg+19 °C+16 °C
Sunny days / year6070
Rainfall / year570 mm760 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1 h

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

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

Cost of living: Berlin vs Dublin — in your currency

BerlinDublin
1-bed rent, city centre$1,400$2,200
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,000$1,700
Inexpensive meal$15$20
Monthly transit pass$55$110
Utilities (monthly)$250$220

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

Good to know before you move to Berlin

Germany's creative and startup magnet — still the cheapest major Western-European capital, though rents are climbing fast.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
German
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
120 Mbps
English
Widely spoken
Safety
60/100
Climate
❄ 1°C · ☀ 19°C · 60 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Kreuzberg · Mitte · Neukölln

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 Berlin to Dublin: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Berlin to Dublin, your cost of living will be roughly 23% more expensive. Dublin’s cost-of-living index is 135 versus 110 for Berlin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Berlin cheaper than Dublin?

Dublin is about 23% more expensive than Berlin overall — its cost-of-living index is 135 versus 110 for Berlin.

Which is more expensive, Berlin or Dublin?

Dublin is more expensive than Berlin. Its cost-of-living index is 135 vs 110 (US = 100) — about 23% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Berlin or Dublin?

Rent is cheaper in Berlin — about $1,400/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 Berlin?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Berlin is worth about $92,212 in Dublin. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Berlin or Dublin?

Ireland has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in Germany.

◷ More comparisons from Berlin

How we calculate these figures →

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