Moving to Ireland from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Ireland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 5.4% more expensive than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €63,867 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Dublin averages 56°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly cooler.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Ireland.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €63,867
To maintain the same standard of living in Ireland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.1% less
Groceries
pay 16.4% less
Transportation
pay 66.5% more
Housing
pay 5.3% less
Childcare
pay 45.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.4% 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.
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% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Ireland, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States 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
Ireland performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics.
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
Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ireland performs significantly better than United States 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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in water stress level.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Ireland leads in gdp per capita.
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 States leads in education spending.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Dublin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 holder visiting Ireland
Visa Free
Ireland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 States?
Generally yes: Ireland runs about 3% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
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 €15,967 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 United States and Ireland.
Is Ireland safe for expats?
Ireland performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ireland is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States. About 75% of people in Ireland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Ireland compared to United States?
Ireland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 40.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Ireland, compared to 36.1 in United States. Ireland scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Ireland compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Ireland?
The official languages in Ireland are English and Irish. In United States, the official language is English.
