Cost of living in Ireland
What Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick really cost in 2026: rent by county, groceries, childcare, and how Ireland compares with the UK and Europe.
8 guides · about 30 minutes in total
The guides below are in the order the app walks you through them — each one unblocks the next. The opening of every guide is free to read here; the full text is in the app.
- 1
Cost of living in Ireland in 2026
Ireland is one of the more expensive countries in Europe to live in, and rent is the reason. Almost everything else, from groceries to public transport…
4 min read
- 2
Cost of living in Dublin
Dublin is where most people moving to Ireland land first, and it is comfortably the most expensive place in the country to live. The premium is almost…
4 min read
- 3
Cost of living in Cork
Cork is Ireland's second city and the obvious alternative to Dublin if you work in pharma, medtech or tech. Apple, Pfizer, Stryker and dozens of others…
3 min read
- 4
Cost of living in Galway
Galway is the smallest of Ireland's main cities and, for many people, the most likeable: a compact medieval centre, the sea at Salthill, a big student…
4 min read
- 5
Cost of living in Limerick
Limerick is the city that relocation guides used to skip, and that is exactly why it deserves a look. It has a university (UL), a growing tech and…
4 min read
- 6
Average rent in Ireland by county
Where you live in Ireland matters more to your budget than almost any other decision. A new tenancy in Dublin costs more than double one in Leitrim, and…
3 min read
- 7
Moving to Ireland vs the UK: cost, tax, healthcare and rent compared
Ireland and the UK share a language, a Common Travel Area that lets citizens of each live and work freely in the other, and a lot of the same shops. What…
4 min read
- 8
Ireland vs the Netherlands and Germany for expats
Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany compete for the same people: English-speaking tech, pharma, finance and engineering professionals who can pick where…
4 min read
Other sections
Beyond the guides
Plan the whole move from your phone
Moving to Ireland turns 99 guides into a personal checklist. Tell it your passport, whether you have moved yet, and who is coming with you, and it lays out every step in order — from the visa to the bins.
- Step-by-step checklist
- Tailored to your passport
- Pre-move & post-move
- Family & pet sections
4.9 on the App Store
