Moving to Pennsylvania from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ireland to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 2.4% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly $73,300 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle. 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 ↓

Is Pennsylvania cheaper than Ireland?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.0% less

Groceries

pay 20.4% more

Transportation

pay 32.1% less

Housing

pay 7.1% less

Childcare

pay 2.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (October 2026)

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 Pennsylvania?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $73,300

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania cost about 7% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

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

Pennsylvania

Lancaster 65%
Bethlehem 62%
Allentown 60%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Pennsylvania

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
1,530 ↓ 2% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

IE
27.9%
PA
34.4%

Ireland performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

IE
97.2%
PA
88.8%

Ireland performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.6%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$131,592
PA
$61,506

Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Ireland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IE
83.0 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs

Ireland performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in Pennsylvania vs Ireland

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Philadelphia Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
65° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Philadelphia
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 74°/54°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 56°/39°F (13°/4°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Philadelphia
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C)

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

Can you move from Ireland to Pennsylvania?

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

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Ireland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
United States 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 Pennsylvania than Ireland?

Headline costs are within a few percent between Pennsylvania and Ireland; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around $18,325 in Pennsylvania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Pennsylvania?

Working remotely from Pennsylvania's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Ireland and Pennsylvania.

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Ireland?

Ireland performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Philadelphia is 65°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Philadelphia receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?

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

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At a Glance

IE
Population 5,484,367 13,059,432
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Irish English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911