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IRELAND’S CAPITAL HAS dropped from being one of the ‘top ten’ most expensive cities in the world to number 72 in seven years, according to Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey 2012.
The Mercer survey, used by multinational firms to assess the costs involved in relocating executives, examines the comparative cost of over 200 items in 214 locations. Factors such as housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment are all considered.
The cost of living in Dublin has fallen dramatically from the peak in 2005 – and 14 places since last year’s ranking.
The news has been welcomed by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, which says the research shows that the city is regaining competitiveness which will help to stimulate exports and tourism.
Gina Quin, CEO, Dublin Chamber said: “For the tourism sector, which has been significantly impacted by the global recession, this demonstrates that Dublin is offering good value for money for ‘city breaks’, for business tourism or as a base for visiting Ireland. Dublin has seen a rise in the number of over overseas visitors in the past year and this research coupled with the recent tourist VAT reduction should continue help in the recovery of Ireland’s tourism sector.”
Quin added: “We need to ensure that Dublin is offering a low cost and high quality of living in order to attract the most talented workers. By reducing the barriers of moving here for the people that make businesses grow, Dublin can help drive economic and jobs growth in Ireland.”
In Europe, Moscow remains the most expensive city for expatriates, followed by Geneva, Zurich and Bern.
Tokyo was ranked as the world’s most expensive city.
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All offset against increased Bord Gais,Eircom,transport,home and health insurance
This cost of living study takes all of those into account. Unless Mercer are completely incompetent.
Are they serious? Food, booze, energy, mortgages etc, all still bloody expensive!
Food is not actually that expensive, one trip to Lidl per week fills my cupboard for under €30. That’s food, drink, lunches, dinners, the lot. As for booze, it’s a luxury (which I quite enjoy), but as a luxury the price depends on supply and demand.
And tax….
The price of a luxury depends on supply, demand and tax folks…
Would you not shop in an Irish supermarket?? I get that Lidl and Aldi are great if you have a big family and that they employ Irish staff, but most of what they sell are imports and the profits go back to their German headquarters.
Do a weekly shop in Superquinn and you’ll find it sore when you sit down for a couple of days.
Just aswell we have Dunnes and Supervalue so!
Ann, you obviously don’t realize that Lidl and Aldi actually source far more products in Ireland than many competitors such as Tesco and Dunnes. Much of the fresh produce is sourced from Irish farms, and packaged meats, sausages etc are often of Irish origin.
Not anywhere near where I live Ann, I’m afraid.
A pint is still obscenely expensive.
That’s the only thing that matters.
paying 8 euros for a pint of plain here in sweden : (
Probably reflective of the drop in wages, jobs etc while the same time the rise in taxation and charges. I bet its still as expensive live in for the people who work, live and survive in
Increases in taxes and charges would increase the cost of living, so I’m not exactly sure what you are trying to say.
Good its an overpriced dump anywya
Typical ignorant culchie comment.
What a parochial, low-life comment.
Those who gave the thumbs down were annoyed at not knowing what parochial means!
From the link:
Two main factors determine a city’s position in Mercer’s Cost of Living rankings:
the relative strength of the relevant currency against the US dollar in the 12 months between ranking (March 2011 to March 2012 in this case); and
price movements over the 12 month-period compared to those in New York City as the base.
So the weakening of the euro in relation to the dollar is a contributing factor as well.
In fact, again according to the link “Most European cities drop in the ranking” except for Geneva in Switzerland which is non Euro. Since this is a comparative study it doesn’t really show if the cost of living has fallen in Ireland, only that it has fallen in comparison to other places. This while the Dublin Chamber of Commerce are right in saying that the city is gaining competitiveness, it is not actually because of anything we have done.
So rather then the headline saying that the cost of living has fallen in Dublin, it should really say that the cost of visiting Dublin has fallen if you are coming from outside the Eurozone. Which is good in itself, but means little to those of us who do not make our living from tourist related activities.
That is exactly the point I was making earlier on which seems to have gone over the heads of some of the readers
I found temple bar very expensive on little womens xmas, me and the girls could barely pay for the taxi
It’s where all the tourists and their wallets go. What did you expect?
This is a US ex-patriate focused survey. It uses New York and the US dollar as a base. New York is 33rd on this list. If you were a resident of New York now and had to move to Dublin, which is #72, you would find that the overall cost of living is lower in Dublin than it is in New York, whereas if you moved to Tokyo you would feel the pain.
Maybe if you are visiting. Energy, communications and insurance are robbery.
That can’t be right! I haven’t been this broke since I was 16!
Moscow is not a city in Europe -,-
it is, you know
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