Moving to Ireland from Wisconsin

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Wisconsin to Ireland, you would find that Ireland is 13.8% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly €82,747 in Ireland to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €82,747

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 7.4% less

Transportation

pay 86.5% more

Housing

pay 18.0% more

Childcare

pay 55.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 31.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8717 EUR (June 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.

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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
35,190 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in United States 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 Wisconsin and Ireland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WI
37.8%
IE
25.3%

Ireland performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WI
89.5%
IE
95.0%

Ireland performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WI
3.0%
IE
4.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WI
$59,333
IE
$115,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

WI
77.7 yrs
IE
81.7 yrs

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

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madison Dublin
Jan–Mar 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) 49°/37°F (10°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) 59°/44°F (15°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) 66°/52°F (19°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 51°/41°F (11°/5°C)
View all months
Month Madison Dublin
Jan 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C)
Feb 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C)
Mar 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C)
Apr 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C)
May 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C)
Aug 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C)
Oct 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C)
Nov 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C)
Dec 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological 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

United States passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Ireland without a visa.
Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Ireland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

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 Wisconsin?

Day-to-day costs in Ireland run about 27% higher than Wisconsin 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €20,687 in Ireland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ireland?

Working remotely from Ireland's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Wisconsin and Ireland.

How is healthcare in Ireland compared to Wisconsin?

Ireland performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Dublin is 56°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Dublin receives around 29.8 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.

What language do they speak in Ireland?

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

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At a Glance

IE
Population 5,686,986 5,275,004
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English English, Irish
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +353
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112