Moving to Ireland from Canada
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Canada to Ireland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Canada to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 21.8% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €79,231 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from Canada to Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → €79,231
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 15.6% more
Groceries
pay 8.1% less
Transportation
pay 67.9% more
Housing
pay 22.3% more
Childcare
pay 5.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.9% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Ireland cost about 21% more than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Canada to Ireland, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Ireland?
Top countries of origin for Ireland's foreign-born residents.
- 305,197
- 146,211
- 44,229
- 35,190
- 25,371
- 25,104
- · · ·
-
23.6,102
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
How Canada and Ireland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Ireland leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Canada generally does better on family life, though Ireland leads in infant mortality.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Ireland. To live, work, or study long-term in Ireland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ireland's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Ireland than Canada?
Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 21% higher than Canada on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CA$106,294 comparable salary, that's around €19,808 in Ireland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
With 32.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Canada and Ireland.
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Canada?
Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
