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Dublin vs Tokyo

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

Dublin, IE vs Tokyo, JP at a glance — Tokyo, JP is 20% cheaper than Dublin, IE overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,300/mo versus $2,200/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 40%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Tokyo, JP, you'd need

$59,973 / year

Tokyo, JP is 20% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Tokyo, JP vs Dublin, IE)

  • Housing-31%
  • Food & groceries-13%
  • Transport-18%
  • Utilities-6%
  • Healthcare-23%
  • Goods & services-12%

◎ How Dublin, IE and Tokyo, JP compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Dublin, IETokyo, JP

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

▤ Full comparison

Dublin, IETokyo, JP
Cost of living
Overall cost index135108
Housing176122
Food120105
Transport11090
Utilities122115
Healthcare11085
Goods & services120106
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,200/mo$1,300/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,700/mo$900/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,200/mo$2,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$8,000$11,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$740$926
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$110$90
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)40%45%
VAT / sales tax23%10%
Social security (employee)4%—
Corporate tax12.5%30%
Capital gains33%20.3%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$3,300/mo$2,600/mo
Minimum wage$2,772/mo✓$1,300/mo
GDP per capita$131,592✓$35,951✓
Inflation (annual)2.2%✓3.2%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNativeLow
Coworking spaces5090
Time zoneUTC+0UTC+9
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6881
Safety index5582
Healthcare index7485
Pollution index3045
Internet speed100 Mbps220 Mbps
Walkability7892
Public transport6598
Family-friendly6472
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$40/mo
Life expectancy83 yr✓84 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighModerate
Climate
January avg+5 °C+6 °C
July avg+16 °C+27 °C
Sunny days / year70130
Rainfall / year760 mm1,520 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Ireland vs Japan. 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: Dublin vs Tokyo — in your currency

DublinTokyo
1-bed rent, city centre$2,200$1,300
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,700$900
Inexpensive meal$20$8
Monthly transit pass$110$90
Utilities (monthly)$220$200

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

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

Good to know before you move to Tokyo

Astonishingly safe, clean and well-connected for a megacity — and, thanks to a weak yen, cheaper than most Western capitals right now.

Currency
Japanese yen (¥ JPY)
Languages
Japanese
Time zone
UTC+9
Internet
220 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
82/100
Climate
❄ 6°C · ☀ 27°C · 130 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 100V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Shibuya · Shinjuku · Setagaya

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Dublin to Tokyo: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Dublin to Tokyo, your cost of living will be roughly 20% cheaper. Tokyo’s cost-of-living index is 108 versus 135 for Dublin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Dublin cheaper than Tokyo?

Tokyo is about 20% cheaper than Dublin overall — its cost-of-living index is 108 versus 135 for Dublin.

Which is more expensive, Dublin or Tokyo?

Dublin is more expensive than Tokyo. Its cost-of-living index is 135 vs 108 (US = 100) — about 25% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Dublin or Tokyo?

Rent is cheaper in Tokyo — about $1,300/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,200 in Dublin.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Dublin is worth about $59,973 in Tokyo. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Dublin or Tokyo?

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

◷ More comparisons from Dublin

How we calculate these figures →

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