A family in Dublin with a combined income of €4,680 is left with €255 a month, while a similar family in Bucharest with an income of €2,090 has €624 in free funds. A comparison of real income and expenses in the capitals shows that the standard of living doesn’t always match the size of the salary.
Ireland: high salary, but even higher expenses
A family of two adults and one child under three, where one spouse works an ordinary job (e.g. a machine operator) and the other is a shop assistant, earns a combined income of €4,680 a month in Dublin.
Main expenses break down as follows: housing rent costs €2,300. Full-day childcare, necessary for working parents, costs about €580 a month (free care only lasts until 11:00). Groceries cost around €800, utilities €250, internet and two phones €80. Clothing and needs for a growing child require €100.
For a family that already owns a car needing maintenance, insurance costs €100, while tax, insurance, and fuel for roughly 1,000 km a month amount to €315. Total monthly expenses: €4,425. Remaining free funds: €255.
Romania: half the salary, but more money left over
The same family in Bucharest, holding identical jobs, earns only €2,090 a month.
Expenses are much lower: apartment rent €600, childcare €100, groceries €350, utilities €110. Internet and two phones cost €25 (a phone plan can cost €6 a month, internet €8). Clothing and child needs also take up €100. Car upkeep costs €182.
Total family expenses in the Romanian capital amount to €1,467. Free funds remaining: €624 a month — almost 2.5 times more than in Dublin.
Austria wins thanks to its salary payment system
A family in Vienna, holding identical jobs, earns €5,108 a month. The reason for this income lies in the Austrian pay system: workers are paid not 12 but 14 salaries a year. The extra thirteenth and fourteenth salaries are paid out twice a year — two salaries at once each time. When calculating average monthly income, these two bonuses are spread across every month, boosting the family’s average income.
Housing rent in the capital costs €1,120, childcare €100, groceries €600, electricity €70, internet with phones €60, children’s clothing €100, car upkeep €300. Total expenses: €2,349. Free funds remaining: €2,759 a month.
Why this happens
The difference in living standards between countries is determined not only by salary size but also by the cost of housing, services, and goods. In Ireland, high incomes are entirely absorbed by expenses, especially rent, which in Dublin is almost four times higher than in Bucharest.
In Austria, despite high expenses, the pay system provides a significant advantage. The 14-salary system, common in Austria and some other European countries, ensures a more favorable balance between income and expenses.
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