Why this island attracts so much attention and has an almost magical allure to so many people?
In some of my videos, I talked about warmer countries like Greece, Spain, or Cyprus.
But still, so many people ask, “What about retirement in Ireland?”
So the time has come for us to have that talk.
I have been there, and to be honest, the weather is… not like Greece.
However, a pleasant climate is not everything, and after talking with locals and expats who moved to Ireland, I realized this island indeed has some nearly mystical qualities—and very palpable advantages.
So today, you will know the pros, the cons, and certain truths that only locals know.
And by the end of this article, I will explain why Dublin is not the best place in Ireland but instead, there is a more attractive place that might be just what you are looking for.
Ready?
Retire in Ireland: What are the pros?
As always, I will not talk about obvious things, like the fact that Ireland has no language barrier since English is the most spoken idiom, and you will not need to learn a completely new language.
(Of course, you can try to learn Gaelic, which is the other language in Ireland, and I bet you will have a lot of fun doing so.)
I will also not mention that the weather is frequently cloudy and windy. Those things a smart audience, like the one watching this channel, already know.
But let’s talk about some untold advantages of Ireland, things that locals know very well.
The first pro I will talk about is great for Americans:
Ireland is much closer to the US than other European capitals.
Only Reykjavik in Iceland is nearer to the US west coast, and that makes airline tickets from Dublin to the US much cheaper.
Ireland has the second-lowest prices for flying from Europe to the US—only Iceland has cheaper flights to America.
Ireland’s location makes it convenient for those who have family or friends in the U.S. or U.K.
Flights from Dublin to cities like New York or Boston are frequent and relatively short. For example, a flight from Dublin to New York takes just 7 hours.
Ireland also has pre-clearance for U.S. flights, meaning travelers can go through U.S. immigration before they leave Ireland—this makes travel faster and easier.
And since we are talking about flying, there lies another advantage of this country.
Ireland has airport infrastructure and airline connectivity.
The Dublin Airport is one of the 15th largest in Europe, despite Dublin having just half a million residents, its airport is larger than the equivalents of much larger cities like Vienna, Athens, or Warsaw.
From there, you can fly to nearly every European country and also multiple cities in North America, Africa, and Asia.
And let’s remember that Ireland is the country of Ryanair, so if you one day get bored, you can just hop on a flight to some other country, and that might cost you less than a 3-course meal.
Talking about meals, this is our next point.
Irish food
and here I am not talking about dishes but rather about the ingredients, especially dairy and meat – in Ireland, these things are top-notch.
You only realize how good Irish food ingredients are until you go somewhere else.
This, for example, is the standard butter in Ireland.
Probably, if you compare this butter to some other ordinary butter in a blind test, you will feel the difference.
This is what a local told us: “The quality of Irish ingredients is second to none. The quality of the recipes is still in question.”
The next pro of Ireland is a bit more polemic: the high-quality public healthcare.
If you ask an Irish person about the quality of their public healthcare, chances are that they will complain.
But when compared to other public systems, it is quite good.
The public healthcare system is managed by the Health Service Executive (HSE). It is available to all residents, but it is NOT 100% free like in the UK.
These extra costs, however, are justified by the better quality the HSE has when compared to the British NHS.
This is what a Brit living in Ireland told us:
“Having moved from the UK to Ireland 3 years ago, the system here is incredible compared to the current NHS—from GP visits, hospitals, emergency, and maternity, it’s light years ahead of the UK. We had our first kid in the UK and recently a second here, and the experience, level of care, and attention is incomparable.”
If you are a foreigner living in Ireland, you must show the HSE that you intend to live in the country for at least a year—documents like a long-term rental contract might help with that.
Ireland has about 40 doctors for every 10,000 people, which is more than countries like Australia or The Netherlands.
The fifth pro of Ireland is the safety.
In 2022, Ireland had only 44 homicides—and remember, we are talking about a country with 5.4 million people.
For comparison, Chicago, a city with half the population of Ireland, had 711 cases.
So despite being half the size, Chicago had 16 times more homicides than Ireland—that is how safe Ireland is. If we talk about other crimes, like burglaries or thefts, they are also lower.
However, these crime occurrences are much more prevalent in Dublin than in the rest of the country. But don’t worry, in a few minutes, I will show you a city that has much less crime for a much lower price, so keep watching.
The next pro is that Ireland has tax agreements with over 70 countries.
This includes the U.S. and the U.K., which helps prevent double taxation. If you have income from another country, these tax treaties may reduce the amount of taxes you need to pay.
In addition, Ireland’s tax rates are relatively low compared to other countries in Europe. Ireland also has special tax rules for pension income, which in many cases can be beneficial for pensioners.
After these six advantages, you might be asking: So, what are the cons of living in Ireland?
Take a seat, because the list of the bed aspects of moving to retire in Ireland is also quite interesting.
The first one is the high cost of living in Dublin.
Dublin has become extremely attractive for European companies in the last few years.
Many corporations opened new branches or even moved their headquarters to the Irish capital.
These corporations often pay quite high salaries and frequently bring their employees from abroad.
That, among other reasons, drastically inflated the prices in the capital.
To put it into perspective, let’s compare Dublin with some other European capitals.
The cost of living in the Irish capital is 27% more expensive than Berlin.
It is 42% more expensive than Rome…
…and 55% more expensive than Madrid!
Things like a basic dinner in a local, not-fancy restaurant in Dublin will cost you more than 30 euros, while in places like Madrid or Berlin, you can still sit and eat for less than 20 euros.
But don’t stop reading yet! As I said before, soon I will tell you a really nice, cheaper place to live in Ireland, and it is NOT Dublin.
The second negative aspect for those planning to retire in Ireland is…
The limited retirement visa options.
In fact, Ireland’s “Retirement Visa” is not really a long-term retirement visa. The main option for retirees is the “Stamp 0” visa, which comes with strict requirements.
To qualify, retirees must show proof of a steady income of around €50,000 per year per person. Candidates also need to prove they have considerable savings to cover potential expenses. Additionally, applicants are required to have valid health insurance to ensure they can access medical services without burdening the local healthcare system. While retiring in Malta can be an appealing choice due to its warm climate, rich history, and favorable tax schemes, it’s important to weigh the retiring in Malta pros and cons carefully. These include considerations around the cost of living, integration into the local culture, and navigating the administrative processes involved.
The problem is that the Stamp 0 visa is only valid for one year and must be renewed each year. This can be quite inconvenient for expats who want to stay indefinitely.
The third issue with Ireland is the lack of good public transportation in rural areas.
On one side, Ireland has a vast railway network and some very good roads. But these are mainly between major cities like Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Limerick.
On the other side, rural areas often have limited or no public transport options. Public bus services are available in some areas, but schedules are limited, with fewer buses on weekends.
You can always buy a car, but car ownership can be costly, and fuel prices in Ireland are not among the cheapest.
Since we are talking about things that are not cheap, let’s discuss the biggest problem of all.
If you ask 10 expats in Ireland what the biggest problem in the country is, at least half will mention…
The Housing Costs.
Housing costs in Ireland are high, especially in Dublin, but also in cities like Cork and Galway. The demand for housing has consistently outpaced supply in recent years, pushing property prices higher and higher.
A 3-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Dublin will cost you close to 3,000 euros per month. This is 86% more than what you would pay for a similar property in Madrid, Spain.
The situation with housing in Dublin is so absurd that Ryanair pilots cannot afford to pay their rents! And they are pilots—one of the most well-paid careers in most countries.
I asked a local from Dublin how bad the problem with housing is.
This is what he told me:
“The new fear isn’t the cost of rent—that has just to do with the level of supply versus demand. The real problem is not finding a place to live at all.”
That might sound frightening, BUT…
Remember that I mentioned before about a place in Ireland that is safer than Dublin, much cheaper than Dublin, and still has all the infrastructure you need?
Get ready for it because not all Irish cities are created equal when it comes to costs and quality of life.
The Best City To Retire in Ireland
The best place to retire in Ireland: Limerick
Located in the west of Ireland, Limerick is the third-largest city in the country, with a population of about 102,000 people. This city is WAY cheaper than Dublin and also offers a very good quality of life.
Limerick has a well-developed transportation system. Bus Éireann operates regular bus services throughout the city and to nearby towns, with frequent routes.
The cost of a monthly bus pass in Limerick is around €60—in Dublin, it is almost double. Limerick is also close to Shannon Airport, just 25 minutes away by car, and this airport offers flights to major destinations, including the U.S. and U.K.
The city is located just two hours from Dublin by train or car. The road from Dublin to Limerick is the M7 motorway, one of the best in the country.
The city also has respectable healthcare infrastructure for its size.
The University Hospital Limerick is the main healthcare provider in the area, and it is the largest hospital in the Midwest region, serving over 400,000 people in the surrounding counties.
This hospital has facilities that include emergency services, cardiology, orthopedics, cancer treatment, and others.
While not being a big city, Limerick also has all the urban amenities one could expect, like multiple supermarkets—from Tesco to Aldi—or the local department shop, Dunnes Stores.
If you enjoy spending time outside (and I hope you do), Limerick offers many green spaces and walking trails.
The People’s Park in the city center is a large public park with gardens, a playground, and walking paths.
The Shannon River Walk provides scenic views and is a favorite spot for local runners.
A tip from a resident is to try the Neil Cusack Olympic Trail.
And remember when I said that lately, certain crimes increased in Dublin?
Well, here is another strong point of Limerick—it is SAFER. According to the TravelSafe Abroad database, Limerick is the safest among the major Irish cities.
This is curious because Limerick got a bad rap during the early 2000s when it was a crime hotspot, but those days are long gone. This is what a local told us about this city:
“Like any city of significant size, Limerick has some bad areas, but I’ll argue that some parts of Dublin are more dangerous than Limerick will ever be. It’s big enough that there’s always something interesting going on, but not too big it feels overcrowded and impersonal. I found people genuinely nice, welcoming, and down-to-earth. It’s a more authentic piece of Ireland than Dublin or Galway.”
The biggest advantage of all, however, is the cost of living.
Limerick is much cheaper than Dublin in all aspects. Eating out is cheaper, having a haircut is cheaper, a beer at the nearby pub is cheaper—but most of all, housing is much cheaper.
Let’s compare what you can rent for 2000 euros or less in each city. In the central part of Dublin, with this budget of 2000 euros per month, you will not find much, but you can rent a 1-bedroom apartment with a tiny kitchen.
Now let’s check Limerick and see what we can get for the same 2000 euros…
There, for the same budget, you can rent an elegant 2-bedroom apartment with a nice and cozy fireplace and a spacious kitchen.
So what would be your choice to retire in Ireland?
I know Ireland is not the cheapest place in Europe, but let’s admit—it has its charms. Despite the weather…
But if good weather is that important to you, I made a comparison that NOBODY made before between Italy and Greece—two places with the most pleasant weather in the world.
Levi Borba is the founder of expatriateconsultancy.com, creator of the channel The Expat, and best-selling author. You can find him on X here. Some of the links above might be affiliated links, meaning the author earns a small comission if you do a purchase.
