City comparison
Best cities for climate-tech expansion in the UK and EU
Where you land changes your burn, your hiring and how quickly you reach buyers. These are the 14 cities GreenLaunch benchmarks across the EU–UK corridor, ordered by the indicative cost of a 3-person landing team in year one.
Indicative benchmarks compiled from public sources for comparison. Confirm figures with a local adviser before committing budget. Benchmark library last reviewed 9 September 2026. Each city page lists the source and reference year for every figure.
United Kingdom
Bristol
United Kingdom
€221,070
indicative year one · €73,690 per person
The UK's densest cluster of climate and energy engineering talent outside London, with a strong pull for people who want to work on this.
Manchester
United Kingdom
€221,430
indicative year one · €73,810 per person
UK market access at roughly two-thirds of London's cost, with strong industrial and net-zero programmes across the North West.
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
€221,790
indicative year one · €73,930 per person
Scottish public funding and offshore-energy supply chains, with liveability that makes senior hires easier to keep.
London
United Kingdom
€293,250
indicative year one · €97,750 per person
The deepest pool of climate capital, corporate buyers and advisers in the corridor, and the most expensive place in it to hold a team.
European Union and EEA
Lisbon
Portugal
€162,170
indicative year one · €54,057 per person
The lowest burn rate in the corridor for a technical team, with grid and solar projects to prove things on.
Barcelona
Spain
€204,760
indicative year one · €68,253 per person
Southern-Europe cost base with credible engineering talent, and the obvious base for solar, water and urban-climate work.
Rotterdam
Netherlands
€253,080
indicative year one · €84,360 per person
Europe's largest port and its heaviest concentration of industrial decarbonisation demand, at a fraction of Amsterdam's cost.
Copenhagen
Denmark
€266,110
indicative year one · €88,703 per person
Small market, outsized credibility: Danish wind, district energy and public-sector partners are references buyers everywhere respect.
Dublin
Ireland
€270,463
indicative year one · €90,154 per person
The natural bridge city: English-speaking, inside the EU single market, and a short flight from every UK buyer.
Berlin
Germany
€272,420
indicative year one · €90,807 per person
The largest climate-tech founder and engineer pool in the EU, and the front door to German industrial buyers.
Amsterdam
Netherlands
€278,280
indicative year one · €92,760 per person
The most frictionless EU landing point for an English-speaking team, with dense energy, mobility and circular-economy demand.
Stockholm
Sweden
€286,787
indicative year one · €95,596 per person
The strongest climate-tech capital market in the Nordics, and the place industrial-scale European climate deals get funded.
Paris
France
€290,220
indicative year one · €96,740 per person
Large domestic market, heavy state backing for climate industry, and salaries below London for comparable talent.
Munich
Germany
€295,460
indicative year one · €98,487 per person
Where German industry actually signs: automotive, energy and manufacturing corporates with real pilot budgets.
Which city fits your company?
The cost of a landing team is only one factor. Inside GreenLaunch, every city is scored against your sector, stage, customers and priorities, with a side-by-side comparison and a printable shortlist report.
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