Moving to Italy from Ireland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to Italy — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ireland to Italy, you would find that Italy is 12.9% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,700 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €51,399 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Rome averages 69°F vs 56°F in Dublin, making it significantly warmer.
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 Italy.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €51,399
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.3% less
Groceries
pay 2.8% more
Transportation
pay 21.8% less
Housing
pay 38.6% less
Childcare
pay 5.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.6% less
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 Italy cost about 20% less than cities in Ireland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Ireland to Italy, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ireland and Italy stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 Italy leads in homicide rate.
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
Italy performs significantly better than Ireland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ireland generally does better on environment, though Italy leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Ireland performs better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.
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 better than Italy 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
Italy performs significantly better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dublin | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
Ireland passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting Ireland
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 Italy than Ireland?
Generally yes: Italy runs about 22% cheaper than Ireland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €12,850 in Italy for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Italy?
With 31.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Italy 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 Italy.
Is Italy safe for expats?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Ireland?
Italy performs significantly better than Ireland across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.
