Living in both, I don’t think people up here quite realise just how big the gap has grown between the north and the south, especially if you’re in the same line of work.

For years the go-to excuse was “aye but the cost of living”. That might’ve been true once upon a time, but these days the north’s living costs have crept up to the point where the gap in salaries more than cancels any savings.

Even when you factor in rent/homeownership, you’re still much better off overall down there as reflected by the south actually having a higher rate of homeownership than the north. The median rent is 40% of median income in the north versus only 30% in the south. (Sources at bottom)

Tax isn’t the big differentiator people think it is either. Once you account for allowances and credits, someone in the top UK bracket and someone in the top Irish one both end up paying roughly 40% of their income in tax. The difference is that the Irish top-line figure is on a much higher salary.

At this point, it’s hard to see why anyone with the capacity to move south or any young, ambitious person looking ahead wouldn’t. I know people are aware there’s a gap, but most are oblivious to just how massive it’s become over the past decade and how far the North/UK in general is now lagging behind. If they actually saw the scale of it they’d be outraged.

https://www.ulster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1719433/4260_AHSS_PrivateRentalReport_H2-2024_AC.pdf

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1213/1421645-renting-survey/

by SearchingForDelta

18 comments

  1. So does this mean Ireland’s tax haven status is working? We’ve known this for a long time. It’s built on Amazon, Google, pharmaceuticals etc

  2. Thing is down south is mad for housing costs and supply as well- it’s horrific – I have friends who have been told the closest to Dublin they can afford a house is in Dundalk or Drogheda – and these are folks on very good salaries. Or friends on good salaries having to share a a house or otherwise live at home. So the take home salary is more – but it’s still being destroyed by housing/rising costs. But yes, up here has become quite expensive now – so it feels like both North and South are becoming almost the same in some way.

  3. THIS is the argument for a United Ireland. Nothing else matters

  4. I don’t think I’ll need to be worrying myself about being a top 10% of earners anywhere.

  5. I moved from NI to ROI 10 years ago and the difference between salaries in my sector in each region is massive. I’m easily taking home double what I would in NI. I was lucky and bought a house before house prices went bananas down here so have avoided that trap which might have moved the dial a bit in favour of NI but overall im definitely better off.

  6. This is why you work in the South but live in the North

  7. Public sector salaries aren’t too far off double what they are in NI for most grades, absolutely wild when you think about it. The problem is that property is triple the price of NI…

  8. This is a chart of extreme social outcomes as much as anything.

  11. The UK is on a downward death spiral and the main cause is Brexit. But ole Nige and co will have you believe it is actually because we got a weak watered down version not he sunny lit uplands or freed from our shackles.

    The ROI has it’s issues too but the prospects and current situation is much better than UK.

    If the financial disparity was shown to many of the public and the middle undecideds for a UI it would tilt the balance.  But many won’t shift because they yearn for the good old days of the British Empire, but that’s condemned to the history books

  12. That has to be one of the worst ways to represent data I’ve ever seen. It’s almost impossible to follow any of the other countires lines.

  13. This place is becoming more like the BelTel with these never ending totally pointless articles. Some parts of the ROI have became third world, just like England which will probably rile them up even more.

  14. Will haircuts go to €50 then the day we unify?

  16. Believe you me, those working in healthcare know exactly, that southerners are getting 50-100% more for the exact same job. Iv been moaning about it on here for several years now.

    It is disgraceful, how little they are getting paid, and that every year they have to fight for pay parity!

  17. So the wealth equality is better in the UK then, interesting

  18. Raw income is meaningless. Housing is WAY more expensive down in R.O.I vs N.I

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