How Companies Are Exploiting Irish Talent: The €1,150/Month Scandal

I found a job posting this week.

Digital Marketing Account Manager. Relocation to: Athens, Greece.

€1,150 gross/month.

For an Irish person with native English language.

Let me break down why this is a scandal.

The Math That Doesn't Work

€1,150/month sounds like "maybe entry-level is okay in Greece."

Until you remember:

This person has Irish living costs.

Let's do the actual math:

Irish Monthly Expenses (Conservative Estimate):

• Mortgage/rent payments back home: €400-€800 (many don't sell their Irish home)

• Irish bills (utilities, phone, insurance): €150-€250

• Student loan repayments: €100-€200 (41% of Irish millennials have these)

• Irish car payments/insurance: €100-€200

• Family support (Irish family members): €50-€150

Subtotal still in Ireland: €800-€1,600/month

That's before living in Greece.

Athens Living Costs:

• Rent: €400-€700 (basic apartment)

• Food: €200-€300

• Transport: €40-€60

• Phone/utilities (Athens): €60-€100

• Insurance: €50-€80

Subtotal for Athens: €750-€1,240/month

Total realistic monthly costs: €1,550-€2,840

And they're offering €1,150.

The gap? €400-€1,690/month in deficit spending.

Why This Matters (The Real Problem)

This isn't one bad job posting.

I checked 15 similar offers to Irish/British people across Europe in the last week:

• Greece: €1,150-€1,400/month

• Portugal: €1,200-€1,500/month

• Poland: €900-€1,100/month

• Czech Republic: €1,000-€1,300/month

Same pattern:

• Target English-speaking talent

• Offer Eastern European/Southern European wages

• Don't account for the fact that candidates have Irish/UK living obligations

This is systematic wage arbitrage.

The Unspoken Reality

Here's what these companies know (and don't mention):

1. Irish Person Takes Job in Greece
   

   • Gets €1,150/month

   • Still owes €400-€500/month on Irish mortgage

   • Can't afford flights home (€80-€150 each way)

   • Can't support family back home

   • Result: Debt, stress, short tenure

     
     

2. Company Benefits
   

   • Hires talent at 40-50% below market

   • High turnover (after 6 months when person realizes math doesn't work)

   • Replaces with next batch of desperate Irish/UK talent

   • Pays recruitment fees instead of fair wages
     

3. Who Loses
   

   • Irish person: Debt + burnout

   • Quality: Constant turnover means no experience builds

   • Local talent: Wage depression as companies prove they can hire Irish cheaper

The Data Cork Isn't Talking About

According to Glassdoor and PayScale data (2025-2026):

Digital Marketing Account Manager Salary:

• Dublin: €28,000-€38,000/year (€2,333-€3,166/month)

• Cork: €25,000-€35,000/year (€2,083-€2,916/month)

• Athens (fair market): €18,000-€24,000/year (€1,500-€2,000/month)

What they're offering Irish people: €13,800/year (€1,150/month)

That's:

• 41% below Dublin rates

• 45% below Cork rates

• 27% below Athens fair market rate
  

This isn't competitive pricing. This is exploitation dressed up as "international opportunity."

The Red Flags Everyone Misses

Red Flag 1: "Relocation Support"

The posting says: "Flight to Athens + 4 weeks accommodation."

Translation: We'll get you there. Good luck affording the rest.

Missing: Actual relocation bonus, housing stipend, or adjustment period.

Red Flag 2: "Vibrant European City"

What they mean: "You'll love living here so much you won't notice we underpaid you."

Translation: Lifestyle poverty.

Red Flag 3: "Competitive Salary"

In what market? Not Ireland. Not UK. Not even Athens.

Red Flag 4: "Performance Bonus"

€1,000/quarter bonus = €250/month additional.

Sounds nice until you realize: €1,400/month still doesn't cover the math.

And "performance bonus" means: You don't get it unless targets hit (which they likely set high).

Why This Exploits Irish Talent Specifically

This doesn't work the same way for:

• Portuguese people (Portuguese living costs are lower)

• Polish people (lower Irish financial obligations)

• Greek people (already in-country, no double obligations)
  

But Irish people? We have:

• Higher home country living costs

• Family obligations back home

• Reluctance to sell homes (property market in Ireland is brutal)

• Guilt about not supporting family
  

Companies know this and exploit it.

The Broader Trend

This is happening across:

• Tech companies in Eastern Europe

• Marketing agencies in Southern Europe

• Recruitment firms targeting specifically English speakers

• "Global opportunity" job boards
  

The pattern: Target high-wage-country talent, offer low-wage-country salaries, don't account for the person's actual obligations.

What This Means

If you're Irish and seeing these offers:

The Math Question: What are your actual monthly obligations (back home + new location)? If it's more than the salary = immediate red flag.

The Honesty Test: A fair salary accounts for:

• Your home country obligations

• Cost of living in new country

• Ability to save money

• Ability to visit home
  

If they won't discuss this upfront = they know the number doesn't work.

The Trap: "We can discuss salary increase after 6 months once you prove yourself."

Translation: We'll underpay you short-term, hope you get desperate, then use leverage against you later.

The Bottom Line

€1,150/month to an Irish person isn't an opportunity.

It's a trap dressed up in relocation language.

Fair international hiring means:

• Accounting for your actual living costs

• Understanding your obligations

• Offering salary that works for your situation

• Not relying on desperation
  

Not doing these things isn't "market rate."

It's exploitation.

About the Author

PJ Rynd has 25 years of international business experience across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. He's seen salary arbitrage up close and believes people deserve transparency. He's based in Cork, Ireland.