UK vs Ireland: inflation, energy prices and house prices compared
On IMF figures, the UK's inflation rate in 2025 was 3.4%; Ireland's was 2.1%. In 2025 the OECD gives 1.6% for the UK's household energy price inflation and minus 0.5% for Ireland. OECD figures for 2025 put the UK's house price-to-income ratio at 115.7 (100 = long-term average), higher than Ireland's 110.5 (100 = long-term average).
Inflation, average consumer prices
On IMF figures, the UK's inflation rate in 2025 was 3.4%; Ireland's was 2.1%. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 10 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.4% | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| 2023 | 7.3% | 5.2% |
| 2022 | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| 2020 | 0.9% | minus 0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | 0.7% |
| 2017 | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | minus 0.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
The IMF measures inflation as the percentage change in the average level of each country's consumer price index over a calendar year compared with the year before.
Inflation in household energy prices
In 2025 the OECD gives 1.6% for the UK's household energy price inflation and minus 0.5% for Ireland. From 2015 to 2025 the UK's figure was the higher of the two in 7 of 11 years.
| Year | UK | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.6% | minus 0.5% |
| 2024 | minus 18.7% | minus 13.8% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 64.4% | 52.3% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | 13.8% |
| 2020 | minus 4.6% | minus 6.2% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| 2018 | 6.8% | 7.6% |
| 2017 | 3.9% | 1.1% |
| 2016 | minus 2.9% | minus 5.2% |
| 2015 | minus 3.5% | minus 4.9% |
The OECD republishes each country's consumer price index for electricity, gas and other fuels used in the home (COICOP group 04.5).
Price-to-income ratio, standardised
OECD figures for 2025 put the UK's house price-to-income ratio at 115.7 (100 = long-term average), higher than Ireland's 110.5 (100 = long-term average). The UK's figure was higher than Ireland's in every year from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | UK | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 115.7 (100 = long-term average) | 110.5 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2024 | 117.5 (100 = long-term average) | 105.5 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2023 | 123.7 (100 = long-term average) | 106.0 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2022 | 131.9 (100 = long-term average) | 110.8 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2021 | 126.0 (100 = long-term average) | 106.4 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2020 | 121.5 (100 = long-term average) | 103.8 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2019 | 117.7 (100 = long-term average) | 106.7 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2018 | 120.4 (100 = long-term average) | 109.9 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2017 | 120.8 (100 = long-term average) | 102.4 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2016 | 118.1 (100 = long-term average) | 97.1 (100 = long-term average) |
| 2015 | 111.4 (100 = long-term average) | 93.7 (100 = long-term average) |
The OECD divides each country's nominal house price index by nominal net disposable income per head, then shows the result as a percentage of that country's own long-term average, so 100 means house prices relative to incomes are at their long-term average for that country.
More figures for the UK and Ireland
| Figure | UK | Ireland | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per head, purchasing power parity | $65,758 | $147,825 | 2025 | IMF |
| Real GDP growth | 1.2% | 8.0% | 2025 | IMF |
| GDP, current prices | $4.01 trillion | $680.4 billion | 2025 | IMF |
| Total tax revenue | 34.4% of GDP | 21.7% of GDP | 2024 | OECD |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.7% | 2025 | IMF |
| General government gross debt | 102.1% of GDP | 34.8% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.4 years | 83.0 years | 2024 | World Bank |
| Current health expenditure | 11.4% of GDP | 6.1% of GDP | 2025 | OECD |
| General government expenditure | 43.5% of GDP | 22.3% of GDP | 2025 | IMF |
| Employment rate, ages 15 to 64 | 75.1% | 74.7% | 2025 | OECD |
| Real minimum wage per hour | $17.13 an hour | $14.93 an hour | 2025 | OECD |
| Gross domestic spending on research and development | 2.8% of GDP | 1.5% of GDP | 2023 | OECD |
Each value is for the latest year both the UK and Ireland have in that body's data. International bodies adjust national figures so that countries can be compared, so UK values can differ from the ONS's.
Ranked tables with the UK and Ireland
- UK inflation compared with EU countries
- UK house prices to income compared with other countries
- UK household energy price inflation compared with Europe
More about Ireland: Ireland in figures. Compare any two countries with the country comparison tool.
Sources and receipts
- International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e36fb78dc58c5b50…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e65b928246b385b5…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
53bd8a1de156c848…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7f602aa3372de03a…· publisher's page - OECD: Consumer price indicesread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
ee244608acd0fa96…· publisher's page - OECD: Analytical house price indicatorsread 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
1508e2fba50db14f…· publisher's page
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