Moving to Ireland from France
What to Expect
Considering a move from France to Ireland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from France to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 15.5% more expensive than France overall. A €65,700 salary in France would need to be roughly €78,667 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Irish. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between France and Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €78,667
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.4% less
Groceries
pay 7.3% less
Transportation
pay 35.4% more
Housing
pay 65.0% more
Childcare
pay 5.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 23.3% 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 23% more than cities in France.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from France to Ireland.
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
- · · ·
-
13.12,780
France
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Ireland compared to France.
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 France 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
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
France performs better than Ireland across all environment metrics.
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
France 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
Ireland performs significantly better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
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
France performs better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, 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 | Paris | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Paris | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
Météo-France,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.
France passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting France
Visa FreeData: 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 France?
On average Ireland is around 20% pricier than France, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
Budget about €19,667 for 3 months in Ireland (based on a €65,700 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Ireland: 32.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ireland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to France?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 33.4 in France. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to France?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In France, the official language is French.
