Moving to Ireland from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 3.4% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €67,000 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly €64,700 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Irish. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Is Ireland cheaper than Netherlands?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 14.9% less

Groceries

pay 0.3% less

Transportation

pay 8.4% less

Housing

pay 4.8% more

Childcare

pay 37.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.7% 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 Ireland?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → €64,700

To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland

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 Ireland cost about 4% less than cities in Netherlands.

Netherlands

Rotterdam 68%
Arnhem 63%

Ireland

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
5,708 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in Netherlands live in Ireland · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ireland?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Ireland compared to Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.7
IE
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
IE
2.8

Ireland performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

NL
38.8
IE
38.8

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NL
13.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
IE
6.0t

Netherlands generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NL
43.0
IE
32.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.7%
IE
8.1%

Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NL
3.9%
IE
4.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$73,684
IE
$131,592

Ireland generally does better on employment & economy, though Netherlands leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

NL
82.0 yrs
IE
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
IE
3.4

Netherlands 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), Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst (2016), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Ireland vs Netherlands

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Dublin
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Dublin
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Can you move from Netherlands to Ireland?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Ireland

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

Ireland passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Netherlands 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 Ireland than Netherlands?

On average Ireland is about 3% less expensive than Netherlands, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Ireland?

Budget about €16,175 for 3 months in Ireland (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 Ireland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Ireland: 32.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Ireland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Ireland safe for expats?

Ireland performs significantly better than Netherlands across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 38.8 in Netherlands. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

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

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At a Glance

NL IE
Population 18,087,633 5,484,367
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch English, Irish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +31 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112