Moving to Ireland from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Ireland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 2.9% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £56,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €68,800 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Ireland cheaper than United Kingdom?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.7% more
Groceries
pay 14.9% more
Transportation
pay 0.5% more
Housing
pay 10.4% more
Childcare
pay 54.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.4% 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.
What salary do you need in Ireland?
What does your salary buy?
£56,000 → €68,800
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 9% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Ireland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Ireland, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Ireland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Ireland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in homicide rate.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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
Ireland generally does better on family life, though United Kingdom leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Ireland vs United Kingdom
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Can you move from United Kingdom to Ireland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom?
No — Ireland is on average about 3% more expensive than United Kingdom. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Ireland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,200 in Ireland on a £56,000 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 32.3 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?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Ireland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 60°F in London. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
