Moving to Estonia from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ireland to Estonia, you would find that Estonia is 23.4% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,700 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €42,484 in Estonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Estonian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €42,484

To maintain the same standard of living in Estonia

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.1% less

Groceries

pay 28.9% less

Transportation

pay 41.1% less

Housing

pay 38.1% less

Childcare

pay 30.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.0% less

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.

Get free moving quotes to Estonia

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?

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

Moved in 2023
31

people moved from Ireland to Estonia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Estonia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.9
EE
1.5
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IE
75%
EE
75%

Ireland performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
EE
$3,741
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

IE
40.6
EE
34.4

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
EE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
EE
7.8t

Ireland performs better than Estonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IE
32.1
EE
40.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
22.2%
EE
10.8%

Estonia 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

IE
4.3%
EE
6.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$115,600
EE
$42,000

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IE
81.7 yrs
EE
77.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.5
EE
3.4

Estonia generally does better on family life, though Ireland leads in life expectancy.

Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Tallinn Rain: 27.3 in/yr (693 mm)
48° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Tallinn
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 57°/41°F (14°/5°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 65°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Tallinn
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and Estonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Estonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Estonia's immigration authority.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Estonia

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

Estonia passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Estonia passport holders can enter Ireland 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 Estonia than Ireland?

Generally yes: Estonia runs about 35% cheaper than Ireland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Estonia?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €10,621 in Estonia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Estonia?

With 40.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Estonia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ireland and Estonia.

Is Estonia safe for expats?

Ireland performs better than Estonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Estonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland. About 75% of people in Estonia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Estonia compared to Ireland?

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Estonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Estonia, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Estonia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Tallinn is 48°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Tallinn receives around 27.3 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Estonia?

The official language in Estonia is Estonian. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

Share this

At a Glance

IE EE
Population 5,275,004 1,211,524
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages English, Irish Estonian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +372
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112