Moving to Finland from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Ireland to Finland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Ireland to Finland, you would find that Finland is 24.1% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €50,900 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Is Finland cheaper than Ireland?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.0% less

Groceries

pay 11.9% less

Transportation

pay 9.4% less

Housing

pay 46.7% less

Childcare

pay 21.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.1% 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.

What salary do you need in Finland?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €50,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Finland

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 Finland cost about 17% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

Cork 69%
Carlow 66%
Athlone 65%
Drogheda 64%

Finland

Lahti 55%
Jyvaskyla 51%
Joensuu 51%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Ireland to Finland.

Moved in 2023
80 ↓ 6% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Finland?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Finland compared to Ireland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.7
FI
1.0
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IE
75%
FI
86%

Ireland generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
FI
$6,433
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IE
38.8
FI
36.1

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IE
13.0
FI
7.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
FI
5.5t

Finland performs significantly better than Ireland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IE
32.3
FI
36.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
8.1%
FI
7.1%

Finland generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.6%
FI
9.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$131,592
FI
$56,149

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IE
83.0 yrs
FI
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.4
FI
1.9

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016), Finnish Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Finland vs Ireland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Helsinki
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Helsinki
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Can you move from Ireland to Finland?

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

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Finland

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

Finland passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Finland 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 Finland than Ireland?

On average Finland is about 24% less expensive than Ireland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Finland?

Budget about €12,725 for 3 months in Finland (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Finland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Finland: 36.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Finland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Finland safe for expats?

Ireland generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Ireland. About 86% of people in Finland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to Ireland?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 38.8 in Ireland. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE FI
Population 5,484,367 5,646,436
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages English, Irish Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +358
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112