Moving to Ireland from Spain
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Spain to Ireland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Spain to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 48.0% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly €85,869 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 68°F in Madrid, 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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Spain to Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €85,869
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 10.3% more
Groceries
pay 19.9% more
Transportation
pay 75.6% more
Housing
pay 66.8% more
Childcare
pay 65.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 92.7% 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 28% more than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Spain to Ireland, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
19.8,886
Spain
Key Indicator Comparison
How Spain and Ireland 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
Spain generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in road traffic deaths.
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 performs better than Ireland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain performs 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 better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting Spain
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 Spain?
Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 31% higher than Spain on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 €65,700 comparable salary, that's around €21,467 in Ireland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Ireland?
With 32.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ireland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Spain and Ireland.
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Spain generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Spain?
Spain performs better than Ireland across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
