Moving to Ireland from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Greece to Ireland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Greece to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 57.3% more expensive than Greece overall. A €65,700 salary in Greece would need to be roughly €97,509 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Greece to Ireland.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €97,509

To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 56.7% more

Groceries

pay 30.5% more

Transportation

pay 62.1% more

Housing

pay 2.0 times more

Childcare

pay 78.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 71.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown

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 51% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Corfu 46%
Kavala 40%

Ireland

Athlone 66%
Sligo 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Greece to Ireland, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
728 ↑ 14% vs 2015

people born in Greece live in Ireland · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ireland?

Top countries of origin for Ireland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Greece and Ireland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GR
1.1
IE
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
IE
2.8

Ireland performs significantly better than Greece across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GR
63.7
IE
40.6

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GR
23.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
IE
6.0t

Greece generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
43.0
IE
32.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.7%
IE
22.2%

Greece generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
11.0%
IE
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$36,300
IE
$115,600

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Greece leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GR
81.5 yrs
IE
81.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.5
IE
3.5

Ireland generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in education spending.

Data: GSIS, Greece, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Dublin
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Athens Dublin
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Greece passport holders can enter Ireland without a visa.
Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Greece without a visa.

Data: 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 Greece?

Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 48% higher than Greece 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 €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €24,377 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 Greece and Ireland.

Is Ireland safe for expats?

Ireland performs significantly better than Greece across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in health coverage index. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 63.7 in Greece. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Greece?

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Greece, the official language is Greek.

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At a Glance

GR IE
Population 10,533,871 5,275,004
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Greek English, Irish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +30 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112