Moving to Ireland from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sweden to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 62.7% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK723,502 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly €81,983 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?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Sweden to Ireland.

What does your salary buy?

SEK723,502 €81,983

To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 4.5% more

Groceries

pay 9.1% less

Transportation

pay 18.9% more

Housing

pay 66.5% more

Childcare

pay 4.4 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.0906 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 24% more than cities in Sweden.

Sweden

Vasteras 51%
Jonkoping 48%

Ireland

Athlone 66%
Sligo 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
2,140 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in Sweden 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 Sweden and Ireland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SE
1.1
IE
0.9
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

SE
73%
IE
75%

Ireland generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
IE
40.6

Sweden 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

SE
8.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
IE
6.0t

Sweden performs better than Ireland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SE
40.4
IE
32.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
IE
22.2%

Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
IE
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
IE
$115,600

Ireland performs significantly better than Sweden across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
IE
81.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
IE
3.5

Sweden performs better than Ireland across all family life metrics.

Data: Skatteverket, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Dublin
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Dublin
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Ireland

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

Ireland passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Sweden 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 Sweden?

Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 25% higher than Sweden 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 SEK723,502 comparable salary, that's around €20,496 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 Sweden and Ireland.

Is Ireland safe for expats?

Ireland generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Sweden?

Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in suicide rate. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 71.5 in Sweden. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

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

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At a Glance

SE IE
Population 10,483,647 5,275,004
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Euro (€)
Languages Swedish English, Irish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +46 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112