Moving to Ireland from Illinois
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Illinois to Ireland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Illinois to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 5.6% more expensive than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly €70,700 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Ireland cheaper than Illinois?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 13.1% more
Groceries
pay 12.5% less
Transportation
pay 47.4% more
Housing
pay 9.6% more
Childcare
pay 50.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.6% 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.
What salary do you need in Ireland?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €70,700
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →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 7% more than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Ireland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Illinois to Ireland, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Illinois to Ireland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Ireland performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Ireland performs significantly better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Illinois leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Ireland performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Ireland vs Illinois
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Chicago | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/22°F (3°/-6°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/32°F (9°/0°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Chicago | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/17°F (-0.6°/-8.6°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 35°/20°F (1.8°/-6.6°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 47°/29°F (8.1°/-1.6°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 59°/39°F (15.0°/3.8°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 70°/48°F (21.1°/9.1°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.5°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.2°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/54°F (23.8°/12.4°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 62°/43°F (16.8°/6.0°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 48°/32°F (9.0°/0.2°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 35°/21°F (1.6°/-6.3°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Can you move from Illinois to Ireland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting United States
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 Illinois?
No — Ireland is on average about 6% more expensive than Illinois. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,675 in Ireland on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
Usually fine from major cities in Ireland. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Illinois?
Ireland performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 59°F in Chicago. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Chicago gets 36.9 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Illinois, the official language is English.
