Dublin ranked 4th most expensive city in euro zone for expats

People make their way across a bridge over the river Liffey in central Dublin o

Dublin is the fourth most expensive city in the euro zone to live for expatriate workers, according to a new ranking.

Global workforce adviser Mercer also bills it as the 39th most expensive city in the world, up seven spots from last year.

The survey, which bases its findings on food, transport and accommodation costs, cited Ireland’s housing crisis as one of the main factors driving the cost of living in the capital.

The Danish capital Copenhagen (16th) is the most expensive ranked EU city but Paris in 33rd is the highest ranked city in a country that uses the euro.

Milan (36th) and Vienna (37th) are also ranked as more expensive for expats than Dublin.

London was placed 18th, edging up by one place from number 19 last year, while Birmingham was ranked at 121, moving up by eight places from 129 in 2020.

One of the factors influencing Dublin’s ranking is the cost of rental accommodation

Aberdeen was placed at 128, moving up the rankings from 134 in 2020, and Glasgow was up by 10 places to reach 131, from 141 last year.

The list, compiled by Mercer, measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in 209 cities across the world.

The data can be used by employers to calculate compensation packages for employees living and working overseas.

Noel O’Connor, senior consultant at Mercer, said: “Dublin, which recorded deflation during the year, didn’t climb as sharply as other euro zone cities like Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam and Rome where official inflation caused faster price rises.

“One of the factors influencing Dublin’s ranking is the cost of rental accommodation. High demand, coupled with supply constraints in the private rental market, mean some expatriates have difficulty finding appropriate rental accommodation, often the biggest cost for companies placing employees on assignment.”