Net Income
#43
of 124 cities
$77,461/yr
Current value
Ireland
How do salaries and expenses in Dublin compare to San Francisco?
This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Dublin compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.
Community Insights
NewDublin presents a stark high-career, low-lifestyle trade-off for software engineers. As a Tier 1 Tech Hub, it offers salaries and resume prestige that rival London and Zurich, making it an incredible accelerator for your career. However, the quality of daily life is heavily impacted by a critical housing shortage and visible anti-social behavior. Financially, a high Median SWE Salary is eroded by a 35.3% tax rate and high living costs, leaving many feeling 'cash rich but asset poor.' It is a city of opportunity for the ambitious, but often a temporary stop rather than a forever home.
Cynical but Pragmatic. Most transplants acknowledge that moving to Dublin was a smart career move that opened doors globally, but few express a desire to settle long-term. There is a strong sentiment of frustration regarding the government's handling of housing and safety. Many view their time in Dublin as a transactional 2-5 year stint to build seniority before moving to a cheaper or sunnier location.
Rankings
Net Income
#43
of 124 cities
$77,461/yr
Current value
Community Events
#50
of 124 cities
7 events on luma
Current value
Home Affordability
#51
of 124 cities
≈7.3 yrs to buy 80m²
Current value
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Dublin compared to San Francisco?
Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Dublin to maintain the same standard of living.
Career Accelerators: Young, ambitious engineers who want Big Tech names (Google, Meta) on their CVs and are willing to house-share to make it happen.
Visa Seekers: Non-EU nationals finding it difficult to enter the US or UK; Dublin tech companies are very willing to sponsor visas.
Families: The combination of a housing crisis and astronomical childcare costs (often cited as a second mortgage) makes it financially punishing.
Sun Seekers: If you are prone to SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), the #119 sunshine ranking and constant grey skies will be a serious struggle.
Savings Maximizers: Those expecting US-level disposable income will be disappointed by the high tax burden and cost of goods.
Updated 11/29/2025
0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.
Dublin has 7 Luma events listed.
86% fewer events than San Francisco.
Pollution Score
#51
of 124 cities
41.6/100
Current value (lower is better)
Purchasing Power
#59
of 124 cities
Comfortable Weather
#72
of 124 cities
39/100 weather score
Current value
Safety Index
#91
of 124 cities
45.9/100
Current value
Tax Rate
#91
of 124 cities
35%
Current value (lower is better)
Cost of Living
#105
of 124 cities
69/100
Current value (lower is better)