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Dublin vs London cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ช Dublin
๐ฌ๐ง London
At a glance
- Where London is clearly cheaper: SIM card (23%โ), Bottled water (16%โ)
- Where Dublin is clearly cheaper: Half-day tour (48%โ), Entry ticket (41%โ), Scooter rental (31%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
London is easier to travel (1.4 vs 1.6). Biggest gap: getting around โ Dublin 2 vs London 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Dublin | London | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โฌ 18$20.9 | ยฃ 17$23 | Dublin โ9% |
| Street food1 item | โฌ 10$11.6 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | Dublin โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โฌ 40$46.5 | ยฃ 38$51.4 | Dublin โ9% |
| Coffeeone cup | โฌ 4.5$5.23 | ยฃ 3.7$5 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | โฌ 7.5$8.72 | ยฃ 6.8$9.19 | Dublin โ5% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โฌ 13$15.1 | ยฃ 13$17.6 | Dublin โ14% |
| Bottled water | โฌ 1.8$2.09 | ยฃ 1.3$1.76 | London โ16% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โฌ 2.4$2.79 | ยฃ 2$2.7 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | โฌ 13$15.1 | ยฃ 16$21.6 | Dublin โ30% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โฌ 9$10.5 | ยฃ 9$12.2 | Dublin โ14% |
| Transitone ride | โฌ 2$2.33 | ยฃ 1.75$2.36 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | โฌ 20$23.3 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Dublin โ31% |
| Hotel night3-star | โฌ 175$203 | ยฃ 180$243 | Dublin โ16% |
| Studio rent (month) | โฌ 2,000$2,326 | ยฃ 1,900$2,568 | Dublin โ9% |
| Laundry | โฌ 4$4.65 | ยฃ 3$4.05 | London โ13% |
| SIM card1 week data | โฌ 15$17.4 | ยฃ 10$13.5 | London โ23% |
| Haircutcut | โฌ 22$25.6 | ยฃ 25$33.8 | Dublin โ24% |
| Massage1 hour | โฌ 75$87.2 | ยฃ 65$87.8 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | โฌ 30$34.9 | ยฃ 50$67.6 | Dublin โ48% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โฌ 22$25.6 | ยฃ 32$43.2 | Dublin โ41% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Dublin or London?
Dublin is 13% cheaper than London. Daily budget $369 vs $438; a month $7,755 vs $8,616.
Which is easier to travel, Dublin or London?
London is easier: London 1.4/5 vs Dublin 1.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Dublin and London?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Dublin is about $7,755 and London about $8,616 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.