Moving to Ireland from Thailand

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Thailand to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 2.4 times more expensive than Thailand overall. A THB2,500,000 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly €158,000 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Irish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 91°F in Bangkok, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

THB2,500,000 → €158,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.9 times more

Groceries

pay 45.4% more

Transportation

pay 78.0% more

Housing

pay 3.9 times more

Childcare

pay 12.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 THB = 0.0266 EUR (October 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 67% more than cities in Thailand.

Ireland

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
612 ↑ 14% vs 2015

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

TH
4.8
IE
0.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

TH
67%
IE
75%

Ireland performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

TH
$1,067
IE
$8,772
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

TH
5.4
IE
38.8

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand 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

TH
29.0
IE
13.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TH
4.0t
IE
6.0t

Thailand generally does better on environment, though Ireland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TH
14.9
IE
32.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TH
23.0%
IE
8.1%

Ireland performs significantly better than Thailand across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TH
0.8%
IE
4.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

TH
$8,057
IE
$131,592

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

TH
76.6 yrs
IE
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TH
7.7
IE
3.4

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand (2016), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bangkok Rain: 59.0 in/yr (1498 mm)
91° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bangkok Dublin
Jan–Mar 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Bangkok Dublin
Jan 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: Thai Meteorological Department Thai Meteorological Department, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.

Thailand passport

Thailand passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Required
Thailand passport holders need a visa to enter Ireland.
Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Thailand

Visa Free
Ireland passport holders can enter Thailand 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 Thailand?

Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 138% higher than Thailand 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 THB2,500,000 comparable salary, that's around €39,500 in Ireland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ireland?

With 32.3 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 Thailand and Ireland.

Is Ireland safe for expats?

Ireland performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Thailand?

Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 5.4 in Thailand. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

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

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At a Glance

TH IE
Population 71,619,863 5,484,367
Currency Thai Baht (THB) Euro (€)
Languages Thai English, Irish
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +66 +353
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191 112