Ireland vs Spain: salary after tax compared
On €60,000 a year you take home €3,744 a month in Ireland and €3,515 in Spain. Below about €92,500 a year you take home more in Ireland; above it, Spain leaves you more.
Ireland vs Spain on €60,000Annual net ÷ 12
-
€3,744a month€44,925a year
-
€3,515a month€42,184a year
Single employee, no children, standard deductions. Spain uses Madrid. Expat regimes (Beckham Law) apply only where you would take home more. Assumptions
Take-home pay at common salaries
Standard rules, single employee, yearly figures. The difference is Ireland minus Spain.
| Gross salary | Ireland | Spain | Difference | Difference a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 | €26,296 | €23,452 | +€2,844 | +€237 |
| €40,000 | €33,572 | €30,196 | +€3,377 | +€281 |
| €50,000 | €39,648 | €36,190 | +€3,458 | +€288 |
| €60,000 | €44,925 | €42,184 | +€2,741 | +€228 |
| €70,000 | €50,201 | €48,165 | +€2,036 | +€170 |
| €80,000 | €54,979 | €53,853 | +€1,127 | +€94 |
| €100,000 | €64,532 | €65,227 | −€695 | −€58 |
| €120,000 | €74,084 | €76,600 | −€2,516 | −€210 |
| €150,000 | €88,413 | €93,659 | −€5,246 | −€437 |
With expat tax regimes
If you qualify for Beckham Law (Spain), the picture changes. Each regime is applied only where it leaves you more than the standard rules. With the regimes, the advantage switches at about €74,000 a year.
| Gross salary | Ireland | Spain | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| €30,000 | €26,296 | €23,452 | +€2,844 |
| €40,000 | €33,572 | €30,196 | +€3,377 |
| €50,000 | €39,648 | €36,190 | +€3,458 |
| €60,000 | €44,925 | €42,184 | +€2,741 |
| €70,000 | €50,201 | €49,204 * | +€997 |
| €80,000 | €54,979 | €56,783 * | −€1,803 |
| €100,000 | €64,532 | €71,938 * | −€7,407 |
| €120,000 | €74,084 | €87,090 * | −€13,006 |
| €150,000 | €88,413 | €109,818 * | −€21,405 |
* expat regime applied.
Key differences
| Topic | Ireland | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| What comes off your salary | Income tax at 20% and 40%, USC and PRSI | IRPF at state plus regional rates, and 6.5% social security up to €61,214 |
| Paid as | 12 monthly (or 52 weekly) payments | 14 payments: 12 months plus two extra payments |
| Expat regime | No general expat regime (SARP for intra-company transferees is not included) | Beckham Law: 24% flat up to €600,000 for 6 tax years |
| Next year | Budget 2027 rules included | 2026 only, no 2027 budget yet |
Frequently asked questions
Is take-home pay higher in Ireland or Spain on €60,000?
On €60,000 a year you take home €44,925 in Ireland (€3,744 a month) and €42,184 in Spain (€3,515 a month), so Ireland leaves you €2,741 a year more under the standard rules.
Where is income tax lower, Ireland or Spain?
Below about €92,500 a year you take home more in Ireland; above it, Spain leaves you more. Total tax and social security on €60,000 is 25.1% in Ireland and 29.7% in Spain.
What about expat tax regimes?
With Beckham Law (Spain) applied where they help, €100,000 leaves €64,532 in Ireland and €71,938 in Spain, a difference of €7,407 a year in favour of Spain.
Other comparisons
- Ireland vs Portugal
- Ireland vs Netherlands
- Ireland vs Germany
- Ireland vs Italy
- Ireland vs France
- Portugal vs Netherlands
- Portugal vs Spain
- Portugal vs Germany
- Portugal vs Italy
- Portugal vs France
- Netherlands vs Spain
- Netherlands vs Germany
- Netherlands vs Italy
- Netherlands vs France
- Spain vs Germany
- Spain vs Italy
- Spain vs France
- Germany vs Italy
- Germany vs France
- Italy vs France
Ireland: single PAYE employee, 2026. Spain: single employee in Madrid on a permanent contract, 2026. Monthly figures are yearly take-home divided by 12. Adjust in the Ireland calculator or the Spain calculator. Methodology and sources.