Dublin
EUR
English, Irish
UTC+0
Daily life
- Climate: Mild and wet all year: cool summers (rarely above 25°C), mild winters with little snow, frequent rain and wind, especially in the west.
- Safety: Low violent crime. Bag-snatching and pickpocketing in larger cities are the main risks; penalties for even small amounts of drugs are severe.
- English: widely spoken
- Expat community: large
Sources: UK travel advice: Ireland, safety and security (checked 2026-10-22) · Met Éireann: climate (checked 2026-10-22)
Cost of living
| Monthly, EUR | Dublin | Cork | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Couple | Single | Couple | |
| Rent | 1,935 | 2,485 | 1,620 | 2,060 |
| Food | 560 | 1,000 | 530 | 950 |
| Utilities | 295 | 310 | 265 | 280 |
| Transport | 96 | 192 | 68 | 136 |
| Health cover | 200 | 400 | 200 | 400 |
| Leisure | 300 | 520 | 280 | 480 |
| Total | 3,386 | 4,907 | 2,963 | 4,306 |
Rent: a one-bedroom flat outside the centre for one person, between one and three bedrooms for a couple. Health: private insurance (mandatory for Stamp 0), with the late-entry loading that applies when you first buy cover after 34. Utilities include internet.
Sources: Numbeo: cost of living in Dublin (updated Oct 2026) (checked 2026-10-22) · Numbeo: cost of living in Cork (updated Oct 2026) (checked 2026-10-22)
Visas and residence
Stamp 0: retiring as a person of independent means
For non-EEA retirees who will not work: an individual income of €50,000 a year, plus access to a lump sum for sudden major expenses, verified by an Irish accountancy firm, and full private health insurance. You apply before arriving (not from inside Ireland); nationals who need a visa first get a D visa. Permission is usually granted a year at a time, and holders cannot use public services or state benefits.
- Minimum income: 50,000 EUR a year
- Valid 12 months, renewable
- A couple needs €100,000 a year combined, which one spouse can provide (law firm guidance).
- Official page
EU, EEA, Swiss and UK citizens
No permission needed: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can live in Ireland with sufficient resources, and UK citizens have full rights under the Common Travel Area.
Trying it first: United States passport: 90 days without a visa; Canada passport: 90 days without a visa.
Sources: Irish Immigration Service: I want to retire to Ireland (Stamp 0) (checked 2026-10-22) · Lewis Silkin: Stamp 0 for retirees (2025) (checked 2026-10-22)
Healthcare
Stamp 0 holders cannot use publicly funded services, including public hospitals, so full private health insurance is a condition of the permission. Irish health insurance is community-rated: the price does not depend on age, but people who first buy cover after 34 pay a loading of 2% per year, for up to 10 years.
- Public system: Not for Stamp 0 holders. EU citizens with an S1 or EHIC and UK citizens have access under their own rules.
- Private insurance, monthly (EUR): age 55-64: 200 · age 65-74: 200 · age 75+: 200
- Pre-existing conditions: usually covered after a waiting period
Sources: Irish Immigration Service: I want to retire to Ireland (Stamp 0) (checked 2026-10-22) · Health Insurance Authority (lifetime community rating) (checked 2026-10-22)
Taxes
Income tax at 20% and 40%, plus the universal social charge. Residents who are not domiciled in Ireland are taxed on most foreign income only when it is brought (remitted) into Ireland. Capital acquisitions tax (33%) applies to gifts and inheritances above tax-free thresholds; there is no wealth tax.
- When you become tax resident: Resident for a tax year if you spend 183 days or more in Ireland that year, or 280 days or more over that year and the previous one (years with 30 days or less do not count).
Coming from United States
Ireland is one of the few countries where US Social Security escapes US tax entirely for residents. The US still taxes its citizens on other income; ask an adviser who knows both systems.
- Tax treaty: yes
- Public pension: US Social Security paid to an Irish resident is taxable only in Ireland (treaty Article 18(1)(b)); this rule is excluded from the saving clause, so the US does not tax it even for US citizens.
- Private pension: Private pensions are taxable only in Ireland as your country of residence (Article 18(1)(a)), but the US still taxes its citizens on them, with a foreign tax credit.
Sources: US–Ireland income tax treaty (IRS) (checked 2026-10-22)
Coming from United Kingdom
UK and Irish citizens can live in Ireland without a visa (Common Travel Area); Ireland taxes your UK pensions. Your UK State Pension rises each year while you live there (EEA country or social security agreement).
- Tax treaty: yes
- Public pension: Taxable only in Ireland (income not expressly mentioned article).
- Private pension: Taxable only in Ireland, annuities included (Article 17). Most UK government pensions (such as civil service pensions) are taxed only in the UK.
Sources: GOV.UK: Ireland tax treaties (checked 2026-10-22) · GOV.UK: countries where the State Pension is increased each year (checked 2026-10-22) · GOV.UK: tax on your UK income if you live abroad (State Pension, Personal Allowance, government pensions) (checked 2026-10-22) · HMRC International Manual INTM343190: pensions and annuities (State Pension under tax treaties) (checked 2026-10-22)
Coming from France
Ireland taxes your French pensions, except civil-service pensions.
- Tax treaty: yes
- Public pension: Basic state pension: Taxable only in Ireland, as your country of residence (pensions for past employment). (Article 14). Civil-service and military pensions are taxed only in France, unless you are Irish and not French. (Article 13)
- Private pension: Taxable only in Ireland, as your country of residence (pensions for past employment)., annuities included (Article 14).
Sources: Revenue (Ireland): Ireland–France tax treaty (1968), Articles 13 and 14 (checked 2026-10-22) · economie.gouv.fr: income tax for residents abroad (minimum rates, non-resident withholding on pensions) (checked 2026-10-22)
Coming from somewhere else? The general rules above apply; check your home country's tax treaty with Ireland or ask a licensed advisor.
Sources: Revenue: resident for tax purposes (checked 2026-10-22)
Housing
Foreigners can buy freely. Stamp duty on homes is 1% up to €1 million, 2% on the next €500,000 and 6% above €1.5 million (since 2 October 2024); add solicitor and registration fees.
- Can foreigners buy? Yes
- Purchase costs: about 3% of the price (taxes and fees)
- Renting: Rents are among the highest in Europe and supply is very tight, especially in Dublin and Cork.
Sources: Revenue eBrief 261/24: stamp duty rates on residential property (checked 2026-10-22)
Settling in
Once you choose Ireland, the settling plan takes you through 7 steps, from a year before the move to your first year there. The first ones:
- Have your finances certified: An Irish accountancy firm must verify your income (€50,000 a year per person) and your access to a lump sum.
- Take out full private health insurance: Cover must include emergencies and hospital stays, as Stamp 0 holders cannot use public services.
- Apply for Stamp 0 from abroad: Apply to the Immigration Service before you travel (visa-required nationals first get a D visa); processing takes several months.
- Register your permission and get your IRP card: Register with immigration after arriving to receive your Irish Residence Permit card. The registration fee is €300 (paid by card at the appointment).
The full plan, with costs, delays and official links, is in your personal space (coming soon).
Rules and figures change and we can make mistakes: confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor before acting.