Moving to Ireland from Norway

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Norway to Ireland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Norway to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 16.9% more expensive than Norway overall. A NOK733,695 salary in Norway would need to be roughly €69,659 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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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Norway to Ireland.

What does your salary buy?

NOK733,695 €69,659

To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 21.6% less

Groceries

pay 17.1% less

Transportation

pay 18.2% more

Housing

pay 19.3% more

Childcare

pay 2.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NOK = 0.0895 EUR (July 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.

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% more than cities in Norway.

Norway

Oslo 73%
Haugesund 64%

Ireland

Athlone 66%
Sligo 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Norway to Ireland, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
347 ↑ 14% vs 2015

people born in Norway 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Norway to Ireland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NO
0.6
IE
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
IE
2.8

Norway performs better than Ireland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NO
$9,523
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
IE
40.6

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NO
8.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
IE
6.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
IE
32.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
IE
22.2%

Norway performs better than Ireland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
IE
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
IE
$115,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NO
82.5 yrs
IE
81.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
IE
3.5

Norway performs better than Ireland across all family life metrics.

Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Dublin
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Dublin
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Ireland

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

Ireland passport holder visiting Norway

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Norway 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 Norway?

No — Ireland is on average about 6% more expensive than Norway. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Ireland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,415 in Ireland on a NOK733,695 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 32.1 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?

Norway performs better than Ireland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Norway.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Norway?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO IE
Population 5,553,840 5,275,004
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) Euro (€)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami English, Irish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +47 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112