Expensive Cost of Living in Ireland

If you’re moving to live in Ireland be aware that the cost of living in the Emerald Isle is high

So, you’ve found a great property for sale in Dublin for a price that’s a steal compared to last year, you’re ready to buy it, pack up and make the move to live in Ireland - but have you considered all the little details before you take the plunge and give up living in Britain or the US?

The fact of the matter is living in Ireland, especially in Dublin can be a bit more expensive than many expatriates are used to!  From buying music CDs to taking a bus ride, the prices in Ireland rank fairly high on the international scale - and in this article we examine the expensive cost of living in Ireland and how you can afford to make the move if it’s what you really want.

Of all the cities in the world Dublin is often considered one of the most expensive to live in - although expatriates will find the property prices are starting to come down a bit in Dublin, other expenses need to be considered as well to get a full picture of the cost of living in Ireland and the fact of the matter is, Dublin ranks high in a number of different categories.

Although your intent is probably to buy property in Ireland, you’ll find there are many other considerations that go beyond the mortgage repayments to add up to a high cost of living.  Little things that cost more can add up and do it rather quickly.  Some very basic, everyday purchases tend to run several pounds higher than elsewhere in Europe or the States for example.

The typical cost of a music CD is a rather good eye opener - whilst Londoners pay roughly GBP 12 to GBP 13, Dubliners can see costs as high as GBP 29!  A basic fast-food meal that runs to about GBP 3 in London will rack up a bill of well over GBP 4 in Dublin…okay, so it’s not much if it’s a one off, but when you consider that you will always be paying more to eat, you will always be paying more to shop, your money will start to dwindle down to nothing quite quickly if you don’t get to grips with the expensive cost of living in Ireland.

But let’s get things in perspective - although living in Ireland is generally much more expensive than living in other parts of the world, the city’s prices are not the worst by any means.  Dublin comes in a great deal lower than Moscow for example which ranked the highest for cost of living in a 2007 survey.  London too tends to rank rather high on the list of expensive cities so some Britons might be used to the prices they’ll face if they move to Ireland!

In some cost of living categories Dublin does come out miles behind London – for example, the average price for renting a flat in London is a scary GBP 2,000 a month, whereas it’s just GBP 812 in Dublin.  Public transport costs are also a whole lot less expensive in Ireland - whereas a short journey can cost about GBP 3 in London, Dublin’s rate is around GBP 1.

So, we’ve established that Dublin’s cost of living is high but not the highest in the world - and when it comes to Ireland as a whole, Dublin prices are not experienced everywhere thank goodness!  Generally speaking, the further away from the big city you move the lower the property prices and day to day cost of living prices you will experience.  So, if living in Ireland is for you, look carefully at different locations before you settle on one.