Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Ireland instead of United Kingdom, you would:

Health

live 1.6 years longer

In United Kingdom, the average life expectancy is 81 years (80 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024. In Ireland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 32.8% more spent on your healthcare

United Kingdom spends $6,606 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Ireland spends $8,772 as of 2024.

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have 17.4% more doctors per person

United Kingdom has 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Ireland has 38.8 as of 2023.

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be 10.5% less likely to die by suicide

United Kingdom has a suicide rate of 9.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ireland, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 2.3 times more money

United Kingdom has a GDP per capita of $57,602 as of 2025, while in Ireland, the GDP per capita is $131,592 as of 2025.

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Life

be 50.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In United Kingdom, approximately 8.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Ireland, 4.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 17.1% less likely to die during infancy

In United Kingdom, approximately 4.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Ireland, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 50.9% less on education

United Kingdom spends 5.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Ireland spends 2.9% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

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spend 38.5% less on healthcare

United Kingdom spends 11.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Ireland, that number is 6.8% of GDP as of 2024.

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Geography

see 88.3% less coastline

United Kingdom has a total of 12,429 km of coastline. In Ireland, that number is 1,448 km.

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Safety

be 42.0% less likely to be murdered

United Kingdom has a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Ireland, that number is 0.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 16.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In United Kingdom, road accidents kill 2.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Ireland, they kill 2.8 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 43.9% less strain on fresh water

United Kingdom withdraws 14% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Ireland withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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use 50.1% more electricity

United Kingdom uses 4,195 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Ireland uses 6,298 kWh as of 2024.

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find 23.4% less home broadband

United Kingdom has 42.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Ireland has 32.3 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 43.1% more CO2

United Kingdom emits 4.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Ireland emits 6.0 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Compare further: United Kingdom vs. Ireland

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Ireland is 2.9% more expensive than United Kingdom overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
United Kingdom is about 3.5 times bigger than Ireland.
→
Moving from United Kingdom to Ireland · OECD 2023
4,800 people moved from United Kingdom to Ireland.
→
City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of London vs Dublin
→

Ireland: At a glance

Ireland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 68,883 sq km. Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century saw the population of the island drop by one third through starvation and emigration. For more than a century after that the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising which touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern counties remained part of the UK. Unresolved issues in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the "Troubles" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker what is known as The Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between Irish and British governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the Eurozone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals.
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