Moving to Spain from Ireland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to Spain — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ireland to Spain, you would find that Spain is 29.6% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €47,200 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°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 Spain.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → €47,200
To maintain the same standard of living in Spain
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 14.5% less
Groceries
pay 14.5% less
Transportation
pay 33.3% less
Housing
pay 40.7% less
Childcare
pay 23.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.9% 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 Spain cost about 14% 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 Spain, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ireland and Spain 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 Spain leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs significantly better than Ireland across all environment metrics.
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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain leads in top income tax rate.
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
Spain performs significantly better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2013–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dublin | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.
Ireland passport holder visiting Spain
Visa Free
Spain 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 Spain than Ireland?
Generally yes: Spain runs about 30% cheaper than Ireland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Spain?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around €11,800 in Spain for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Spain?
With 39.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Spain 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 Spain.
Is Spain safe for expats?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though Spain leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Ireland. About 78% of people in Spain feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Spain compared to Ireland?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 42.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 38.8 in Ireland. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in Spain compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in Spain?
The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.
