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Has your love for Guinness, green hills, and medieval castles finally gotten you to take the plunge on moving to Ireland? If you’re ready to embark on an adventure to the Emerald Isle, stick around for our complete relocation guide. Here we will cover moving costs, visa applications, costs of living in Ireland, and more!
First things first, let’s talk money. Moving to Ireland is not going to be cheap, so it is important to understand the major cost factors upfront. How important can it be? Well, when the average cost to move a one-bedroom home is $1,600, your ears might perk up!
While there are multiple factors that impact the cost of your move to Ireland, generally the most important ones are the size and distance of your move.
SireloTip! Having trouble getting an accurate estimate of your moving volume? No sweat! Our handy moving space calculator will help get you to an approximate figure in just a few moments.
To give you an idea of what to expect, below we have compiled the average costs of moving different household sizes to Dublin via sea freight from the East Coast.
| Property Size | Time | Average Costs |
| 1-bedroom | 6 – 9 weeks | $2,700 – $3,700 |
| 2-bedrooms | 3 – 5 weeks | $3,600 – $5,000 |
| 3-bedrooms | 3 – 5 weeks | $6,100 – $8,300 |
| 4-bedrooms | 3 – 5 weeks | $6,700 – $9,100 |
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
For those in the western regions of the country, we have included the average costs of moving different household sizes to Dublin via sea freight from the West Coast.
| Property Size | Time | Average Costs |
| 1-bedroom | 7 – 10 weeks | $3,200 – $4,500 |
| 2-bedrooms | 5 – 7 weeks | $4,300 – $5,800 |
| 3-bedrooms | 5 – 7 weeks | $7,500 – $10,200 |
| 4-bedrooms | 5 – 7 weeks | $8,100 – $10,900 |
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the rates shown above are just estimates and thus will vary depending on your actual point of departure.
Are you searching for movers to Ireland? You’re in the right place. Take a look at the 3 best international removal companies from America to Ireland:
By now you may have noticed that determining the cost of your move is neither simple nor an exact science. Your move is specific to you, which means you will never know what your move is really going to cost until you receive a quote from a moving company.
At Sirelo, we believe in making it easy to find the best price for your move. Let us do the shopping around for you by filling in the form below. After completion, you will receive up to five no-strings-attached quotes from reliable, trustworthy movers. Easy peasy!
Interested in a full moving abroad checklist to make sure every little detail will be covered? Don’t worry, we got you! Just follow this link and you’ll be all set to go.
Unless you’re one of the lucky ones with an EU passport in your back pocket, you’ll need to navigate securing a visa before moving to Ireland.
As an American moving to Ireland, luckily you will not need a visa to enter the country for longer than 90 days. However, after that, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit to extend your stay.
Since we know that this subject can be a little bit dense, we’ve outlined the most important information below for you —just to make your life a little bit easier, you know. 😉
To receive an Irish work visa, you must first obtain a valid work permit from the Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation. There are nine different types of work permits, depending on your employment situation.
However, two types of work permits are generally the most common:
How much are the application fees? For critical skills employment permits, the fee is around €1,000 ($1,122). For general employment permits, fees range from €500-€1,000 ($561-$1,122).
Once you move to Ireland and start working, you will be able to apply for either temporary or permanent residency. To apply for a temporary residency, you must:
When it comes to permanent residency, the general requirements include:
As in many European countries, Ireland provides universal healthcare to its citizens. However, there’s a small catch. Only around 30% of the population is actually eligible to receive free medical services, qualifying to be a “medical card holder”.
Being eligible for a medical card depends on your circumstances. When you apply, the Health Service Executive will carry out an assessment in which they will examine your:
If you are not eligible, you will need to take out private health insurance. While there are many local Irish insurance agencies, if you feel more comfortable with American insurance, we recommend taking out international health insurance instead.
Now onto everyone’s favorite subject… taxes! Like in any country, Irish residents are subject to a series of taxes. Examples of these include:
SireloTip! Don’t forget that Uncle Sam still gets his cut! Because the US applies global taxation, your income is still subject to US taxes regardless of where you live. Learn more about what implications this might have for you.
Compared to other countries, opening a bank account in Ireland isn’t complicated. The best and easiest way to do it is by going to the bank in person after moving to Ireland. When you do, be prepared to provide the following two documents:
Depending on your bank of choice, they might request an additional document known as the “character reference” letter. This letter proves you are in good financial standing and are not considered a financial risk or liability.
As we mentioned earlier, you will need a work permit to legally work in Ireland. Even though you will probably be able to find a job in any industry in Ireland, the following are the most popular ones:
We recommend the following online platforms to scout for a job in Ireland:
If you’re wondering whether living in Emerald Isle is expensive, the answer is both yes and no. Compared to countries like Switzerland or Norway, Ireland is certainly not over the top. However, compared to the likes of Italy and Spain, the cost of living in Ireland can be quite steep.
While your expected living costs will vary greatly depending on your city and lifestyle, a family of four requires € 4,500 on average to live comfortably. To get into a bit more detail, we’ve broken down the most common living costs below:
We have all seen the headlines about housing crises around the world, and they have not spared Ireland. Accommodation in Dublin is not only getting harder to find but is also becoming more expensive compared to other Irish cities.
To give you an idea, at the time of this writing average monthly rent nationwide is €1,525, compared to €2,150 in Dublin! Below you can find a summary of the average rent prices for different property sizes in Ireland.
| Property Size | Average Rent (€) | Average Rent ($) |
| One-bedroom in the city centre | €1,239.61 | $1,389.68 |
| One-bedroom outside the city centre | €1,050.94 | $1,178.17 |
| Three-bedrooms in the city centre | €2,052.66 | $2,301.16 |
| Three-bedrooms outside the city centre | €1,646.29 | $1,845.59 |
Please keep in mind that the prices reflected above are just estimates. The rent can vary depending on location, characteristics of the prope,rty, and your city of choice.
We imagine that swallowing these rental prices will have you swapping out your weekly restaurant meal with home-cooked goods. To help you prepare your budget accordingly, we compiled a list of common grocery items and prices below.
| Grocery Item | Average Cost |
| 1 lb. of chicken filet | €3.80 ($4.26) |
| 1 lb. of round beef | €4.18 ($4.68) |
| 1 gallon of milk | €3.63 ($4.07) |
| A loaf of bread | €1.33 ($1.49) |
| 1 lb. of local cheese | €3.65 ($4.09) |
| 1 lb. of potatoes | €0.75 ($0.84) |
| 1 head of lettuce | €0.96 ($1.08) |
| Bottle of wine | €10 ($11.20) |
Ireland’s great public transport system will get you from A to B in no time. Everyone’s biggest complaint? For some reason all connections lead to Dublin…
Public transport costs and services will vary by city but tend to fall within a narrow range. For rail services, expect solid coverage between cities and within metropolitan areas, whereas buses cover more local routes. See common costs below:
| Public Transport | Price |
| Bus |
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| Tram |
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| Taxi |
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| Train |
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While we all have certain ideas about Irish culture and living, is Guinness and gossip really what Ireland is all about? Of course, there is a grain of truth in every stereotype, but there is much more to it than that.
To know what living in Ireland will be like, do you plan on moving to Dublin or anywhere else? For some quick insight into what you may choose, we have compiled this (very) brief overview of Ireland’s various regions:
The capital and surrounding areas, Dublin Is the metropolitan and economic hub of Ireland. In recent years it has been highly internationalized, and there is often a sharp cultural difference from people in Dublin and the rest of the country.
With the smallest population of any region in the country, Ireland’s western regions are famed for their striking natural beauty. Despite having a sizable landmass, only 8% of the population lives here.
Generally considered the poorest region in Ireland, the natural landscapes of the Midland region attracts outdoors enthusiasts from all over Europe. In addition, all the best Irish castles and early Christian structures exist in this area.
The image of craggy coastlines and isolated poet’s cottages come alive in the Cork-Kerry area at Ireland’s southern tip. While sparsely populated, this area is a favorite among travelers seeking out scenic lookout points.
Even though English is the most commonly spoken language in Ireland (even if we cannot always understand it), Americans moving to Ireland are nonetheless bound for a culture shock.
But don’t worry! If you get homesick, know that it is not all too difficult to reconnect with your fellow Americans. As of the 2016 census, there were more than ten thousand non-dual citizens living in Ireland, and plenty more with double passports!
How to get connected? Get online! By joining expat social media networks and attending expat meetups, you will broaden your circles easily in no time.
So how does living in Ireland boil down to a few points? While a few pros and cons can never give the full picture of what moving to Ireland will be like, we still think there are a few standout areas that you should be aware of:
When the Irish go out, they know how to have a good time (or as they say, have the craic). It is fair to say that you are unlikely to get bored after moving to Ireland!
If you were wondering about the prices of common entertainment activities in Ireland, check out the list below:
We hope that by now you feel totally prepared to start your new adventure in the Emerald Isle! Need further assistance with your move to Ireland? Then check out the articles linked below for further reading. Good luck! 🙂
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