Moving to Ireland from Japan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Japan to Ireland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Japan to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 84.0% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly €124,000 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Irish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Japan to Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → €124,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 3.4% more
Transportation
pay 65.2% more
Housing
pay 2.7 times more
Childcare
pay 26.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.4% more
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 Ireland cost about 67% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Japan to Ireland, based on official data.
Who's moving to Ireland?
Top countries of origin for Ireland's foreign-born residents.
- 305,197
- 146,211
- 44,229
- 35,190
- 25,371
- 25,104
- · · ·
-
54.604
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Japan to Ireland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Ireland across all safety metrics.
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
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Ireland 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
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in water stress level.
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 Japan leads in unemployment 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
Japan performs better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016), The World Factbook (2013). 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 | Tokyo | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan and Ireland. To live, work, or study long-term in Ireland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ireland's immigration authority.
Japan passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting Japan
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 Ireland than Japan?
No — Ireland is on average about 84% more expensive than Japan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €31,000 in Ireland on a ¥12,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Ireland has 32.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Ireland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Japan?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
