Moving to Ireland from Pennsylvania

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pennsylvania to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 2.4% more expensive than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly €68,600 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Ireland cheaper than Pennsylvania?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.9% more

Groceries

pay 17.0% less

Transportation

pay 47.3% more

Housing

pay 7.6% more

Childcare

pay 63.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8929 EUR (November 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 Ireland?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €68,600

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 7% more than cities in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania

Lancaster 65%
Bethlehem 62%
Allentown 60%

Ireland

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

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Ireland

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
35,190 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in United States 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

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

PA
34.4%
IE
27.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

PA
88.8%
IE
97.2%

Ireland performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

PA
3.7%
IE
4.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$61,506
IE
$131,592

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

PA
76.8 yrs
IE
83.0 yrs

Ireland performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in Ireland vs Pennsylvania

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

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

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

Can you move from Pennsylvania to Ireland?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Ireland without a visa.
Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Pennsylvania?

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

How much money do I need to move to Ireland?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €17,150 in Ireland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ireland?

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

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Pennsylvania?

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

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

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

What language do they speak in Ireland?

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

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At a Glance

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