Living in Dublin in 2024: Everything You Need to Know Before Moving to Dublin

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Are you planning on living in Dublin? Well, you’re in the right place! After 4 years living in Dublin ourselves, we have put together this ultimate guide for starting your life in Dublin in 2023. This is one of the best and most updated travel resources on moving to Dublin that you can find online.

Eric and I have lived and worked in Dublin for four years so we have extensive knowledge about the city, hot to move to Dublin and what it’s like living in Dublin City. We both really liked living in the city but just like anywhere else, it’s got its pros and cons. We also have traveled throughout Ireland and lived in several other countries like Canada, France and the UK so we were able to form a more objective opinion on Dublin.

In this Dublin blog post, we have gathered our experience, knowledge, tips and best advice to prepare you for moving and living in Ireland’s capital city. From the pros and cons to living in Dublin to the housing crisis and the cost of living in the city, we cover everything you could possibly think of.

***Some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not change the fact that we only recommend products, stays, activities and attractions we are satisfied with and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Living in Dublin pros and cons

In this blog post on living in Dublin, we dive into details of life in Dublin and share our experience as well to provide you with a real and current experience on what it’s like living in Ireland’s capital city. To complement that and give you a bit of a steer on life in Dublin, we thought it would be helpful to make a list of the main pros and cons of living in Dublin. Of course, you’ll learn more about each point in the next sections. 

Disadvantages of living in Dublin

Let’s get the bad stuff out first before diving into the more exciting parts of living in Dublin. Since we’ve moved here, we have heard a number of people saying “I hate living in Dublin” and there are usually a couple of different reasons behind that feeling. These reasons are the “bad” sides of Dublin, as follows:

• The weather: grey skies and average temperatures that never really turn into summer temperatures can really weight on your mood and appreciation of Dublin
• High cost of living: the housing crisis has made finding accommodation in Dublin pretty much impossible. Those who do find accommodation (like us) pay rents that are way over the objective value of the apartments.
• Traffic: if you choose to live outside the city, it will probably take you at least an hour each way to work every day.
• Ireland’s conservative views (this might be a pro for some): although the country is very progressive in some aspects (such as gay marriage), it remains pretty conservative on other topics
• The outdated “old” stuff: Ireland has a lot of history to share and in that context, you’ll find lots of old buildings and cool places to visit and that’s fine. However, we find that some of Dublin’s infrastructures are just unbearably old and it gets a bit tiring after a while. For example, a lot of old buildings are not well insulated. Because of the housing crisis, landlords know that they don’t need to make their apartments attractive so they just never renovate. That results in mouldy apartments. Some of my friends even saw their clothes get mouldy even though they were stored in the closet away from any window…
• Dublin isn’t a clean city: Honestly, we wish we could say otherwise but Dublin really isn’t a clean city. There is garbage everywhere and it seems that no-one ever cleans it. Once you’ve been in Dublin for a while, it doesn’t shock you as much. But we recently travelled quite a bit around Europe and no other big city looked nearly as dirty as Dublin. From cans to plastic to papers, it’s just all on the quays, the beach, the sidewalks. Part of the problem is the wind and the seagull, but still, it’s not the best. 

Pros of living in Dublin

Now that we’ve got the bad stuff out of the way, let’s focus on the positives of living in Dublin:

• Great people: this is often the first thing that comes to mind where we are asked if we like living in Dublin. People here, whether locals or expats, are quite great. Irish people have been nothing but friendly to us. We often just chat to random people on our walks (while usually petting their dogs lol) and they are always very nice. Whether in a professional or personal context, Irish people love cracking jokes and there is usually a nice atmosphere which we always appreciate.
• It’s hard to get bored: Honestly, even though Dublin is a small capital, the life style Dublin offers is quite active. There is always something to do in the city whether that would be walking on the beach for a date, going to the pub, seeing a show or a concert. Dublin quality of life in that regard is actually pretty good!
• The city size: Dublin being a small capital, it’s really easy to walk around and feel at home. It doesn’t feel like an overwhelming city where you get lost. For example, neighbourhoods feel like small villages. Because the city is small, it allows you to save some money by not needing a car. It also allows you to produce less carbon emissions which is better for the environment. 
• The location: Dublin itself offers walks along the Liffey, nearby beaches and the city life. But it’s also ver close to seaside towns for weekend getaways and mountains with the Wicklow Mountains National Park. A lot of people wonder whether Dublin is in the UK. The answer to that question doesn’t change the fact that there is a common travel area between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland making it easy to travel to Northern Ireland from Dublin.
• Good food: Overall, even though I’m pretty tough as a French person when it comes to anything culinary, I’d say that Dublin’s food is pretty good. You get a lot of different food such as stews and chowders usually all made with Irish produce. The meat especially is most often local which is great, also for the environment. Dublin also offers a few Michelin star restaurants.
• Cheaper education for some: Compared to France (where college is essentially free), studying in Dublin remains expensive. But compared to North America and, especially, the USA, studying in college in Dublin is a lot cheaper and leaves you with a lot less deb. 
• Cheaper medical system for some: Compared to France (where anything medical is essentially free), Ireland remains expensive. For example, going to the dentist in France costs me nothing. Here it will cost me at least about €200 for a cleaning and a small cavity. But compared to the USA, medical expenses in Dublin are pretty advantageous. You won’t have to pay an ambulance, and going to the ER is essentially free.
• Everything is almost always open: Stores aren’t open 24/7 like in the USA but they are all mostly open everyday from morning to evening. 

10 top things to do in Dublin when you first move to the city: Checklist to start living in Dublin

Though this living in Ireland blog post goes into detail on everything you need to know before living in Dublin, we put together this section so you can have a quick checklist of the main points you need to think about before you move to Dublin.

Before moving to Dublin

• Check visa requirements
• Check working rights in Ireland
• Find a job/degree
• Apply for Visa
• Find an Airbnb
• Expenses to save for:
  • Visa costs
  • Flights
  • Bus/taxi to the city
  • Apartment deposit and first month of rent, preferably in cash as it is faster
  • Airbnb for the first couple of weeks

If you cannot find an Airbnb, or Airbnbs are too expensive, we recommend the following hotels:

• This townhouse
• This modern hotel
• This lodge hotel

Getting settled in Dublin

• Find an Accommodation
• Apply for PPS number
• Open Bank Account
• Register your job and income on revenue.ie for tax purposes
• Find your Dublin postcode

Budget for moving to Dublin

Moving to Dublin can be more or less expensive depending on where you come from. If you are coming from the EU, you will need to account for the price of the flights, transportation to and from the airport, the airbnb cost and the deposit and first month of rent for your apartment. If you need a visa to come living in Dublin, you will need to add that cost to the above expenses. 

In addition, your future employer might request you to interview in person for the last step of the interview process (more on this later). This will engage further expenses, including flights and accommodation for a couple of nights. 

Is living in Dublin good for couples?

The short answer is yes for many reasons! Living in Dublin as a couple will make it a lot easier to find an apartment and pay rent. Dublin also has a large offer of jobs so you are almost guaranteed to find a job in the city for you and your partner. There are also lots of things to do in Dublin for couples. You can check our full Dublin guide for couples here.

Living in Dublin offers opportunities to do some romantic activities such as:

• Discovering Dublin by a romantic boat tour. You can see availabilities here.
• Take your partner for a romantic Vintage tea tour. You can see availabilities here.
• Go on a romantic dinner cruise on Dublin canals. You can see availabilities here.
• Bring your partner on a local food tour. You can get tickets here.
• Going on tours to Wicklow National Park. You can see availabilities here.

Note that Ireland and Dublin are both popular as an elopement location for couples form all over the world. Dublin is well connected to some of the best elopement locations in Ireland like the Dark Hedges or even the West Coast. Find out more about eloping to Ireland here.

Weather in Dublin

When deciding whether or not living in Dublin is the right choice for you, we would recommend, from experience, learning about the weather before make your decision. To introduce this section on the weather in Dublin and Ireland, note this Irish saying: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes”.

Unstable weather

I think what irritates expats in Dublin the most is how unstable the weather is everyday and all year round. When we first moved to Dublin, I would look at the 10 day weather in Dublin on apps to try and plan things out according to the weather. It turns out, the weather never was what the apps had said. You’ll look at your phone saying it’s going to rain at 2pm and it ends up being the most beautiful sunny day of the week. It also happens the other way around! 

I also used to look at how people were dressed on the street to figure how warm of an outfit I should wear. It turns out that people wear both shorts and winter coats at 15°C (not nearly hot enough to wear shorts in my opinion) so it is literally impossible to know what you should wear!

One thing that is stable about the weather in Dublin is that you can expect to have rain and partly cloudy skies almost everyday. 

We often say that you get the four seasons in just one day in Dublin. Those are good example of how that! So if you move to Dublin, remember that there is no point in searching for the 14 day weather in Dublin as it will have likely changed by then!

Weather in Dublin in the summer

Dublin’s weather can be quite surprising for an expat living in Dublin. The first thing to note about the weather in Dublin is that it never gets really cold nor really hot. There is essentially no summer season here in Ireland as the warmest temperatures are usually around 20°C. We have had peaks to 25°C but it never lasts more than a few hours during the day and rarely longer than a couple of days. 

On top of the low temperatures for the season, the weather is also often grey even during summer which can really affect your mood as it’s usually the season that people enjoy the outdoors. If you’re moving to Dublin, you’ll need to be prepared that summer looks a lot like a rainy fall. If you are an American living in Dublin from Arizona or California, this might be something difficult to get used to!

Weather in Dublin in the winter

The winter weather in Dublin can be really nice or really horrible. A nice winter weather in Dublin looks like cold crisp and sunny days. It rarely snows in the city and when it does, the snow doesn’t usually stick (in 3 years, we have had snow a couple of times and it lasted about 1 minute). A horrible day usually looks like lots of rain, strong cold winds and close to 0°C. 

You can learn more about the things to do in Dublin during winter here. 

Best seasons in Dublin

In my experience, the best seasons in Dublin are spring and fall. Spring usually provides more of a summer than summer itself with sometimes a couples of weeks of temperatures above 20°C and consistent sun. Fall in Dublin is usually crisp with a mix of sunny and rainy days. Fall isn’t particularly cold and is a good time to enjoy the city with the trees changing colours. 

You can learn more about Spring in Ireland here.

Dublin weather vs the rest of the country

For comparison with the rest of the country, while the West coast of Ireland gets hit several times a year by storms and heavy rains, Dublin is more protected on the East coast. Since we moved to Dublin, we have heard about really bad situations on the West coast while in Dublin, we only just got rain and a bit of wind, nothing out of the ordinary.

What locals say about the weather in Dublin

The weather in Dublin and Ireland in general is one of the hottest topics in conversations here. Locals, who you’d think would have had enough talking about the weather by now, love to comment on it and work it into most conversations! It’s actually kind of funny and is helpful when you’re trying to make friends as you know it will get people talking! Other than that, they are pretty much used to it!

What expats say about the weather in Dublin

Having talked to quite a lot of foreigners in over 3 years, the most common comments are either “I hate living in Dublin because of the weather” or “it’s not as bad as I thought”. Most expats coming from the South of France, Spain or just warmer countries in general find it hard to get acclimated to the lack of sunlight as it’s often grey and cloudy in Dublin. The grey weather has been the cause of many people opting to go back home. Others (like us) find that it’s not as bad as people make it out to be as nice days can be really nice. But it is definitely difficult to not have the certainty of a real nice and warm summer and that’s definitely a drawback for us.

Visa requirements for living in Dublin

Whether you want to come living in Dublin as a student or to come living in Dublin with family or as a couple, you will need to check whether you need a visa to live and work in Ireland. The best resource for that is https://www.irishimmigration.ie/ .

If you want to work in Ireland and aren’t from en EEA country, the UK or Switzerland, you will generally need a visa or en Employment or Work Permit before arriving in Ireland. This means you will need to find a job before arriving in Dublin. You should check the immigration website as your specific circumstances will determine whether you need a visa or not to work in Dublin.

Certain students will also need a student visa to be able to come study in Ireland. Your visa will depend on the country you come from, and the length of your studies in Dublin.

If you are a citizen of the European Union, you can move to Ireland and work in Dublin without needing a visa. 

Cost of living in Dublin

The living cost in Dublin Ireland has become the main barrier to entry for anyone coming to live in the city. The cost of living Dublin imposes has actually resulted in Irish moving to London!

In this section, we go over the different and several costs of living Dublin so you can best prepare your move to the city. As a side note, some people hope that by moving outside of Dublin or in a different Irish city, costs will decrease. Note that in most cases, this isn’t true and other cities in Ireland have caught up to the Dublin life cost if you look at the salary/life cost ratios. 

To simplify things, we have categorised living expenses in Dublin below. We have also added some information on the living cost in Dublin for students, the cost of living in Dublin vs London and the cost of living in Cork vs Dublin. 

Average cost of living in Dublin

According to Numbeo, the average cost of living in Dublin for a single person in 2023 is €976.12 without rent. The average cost of rent for a single person in Dublin is around €700 from our experience. 

In our experience, it’s a lot easier to live in Dublin if you are a couple where both partners are working, without children. Being a couple allows you to have two salaries and split a lot of the expenses while only needing a one bedroom apartment. For exemple, if we just look at rent expenses, renting a room for a single person in a shared apartment often costs around €1000. By renting our own one bedroom apartment, we only pay €850 per person. At the end of the year, that is €1800 (€150x 12 months) that we each save compared to a single person renting only part of an apartment. In our experience, the average cost of living in Dublin for a couple is around €2100.

Rental cost of living Dublin Ireland

The average living cost in Dublin is drastically increasing due to the lack of accommodation and high demand. Unfortunately, salaries are barely catching up to the rent so the life cost in Dublin can become unbearable for some people who just cannot find anywhere to live. 

In 2023, the rental costs are as follows:

• One-bedroom apartment: starting at €1600 with lots of competition. Realistically, you’ll need to account for €1700 or €1800 per month.
• Two-bedroom apartment: usually around €2000 but often more especially on the Southside
• Private bedroom in a shared apartment or house, shared bathroom: around €700
• Ensuite (bedroom and private bathroom) in a shared house or apartment: usually closer to €900 for a single person. If couples are accepted, it will be at least €950, sometimes €1100 together.
• Shared room with someone else with your own bed: around €400 per month
• Shared double bed with someone else: somewhere between €200 and €400
• Shared single bed: I feel like I have to explain this! Some people share a single bed with someone else. For example, if someone works night shifts but you work day shifts, you’ll get the bed at night while they get the bed during the day. Yes, it is that bad for some. You’ll need to account for around €200. 

A good way to answer the question “Is living in Dublin expensive?” is to check daft.ie for apartments. It will give you a good idea of how much you’d need at a minimum to live in the city. 

Groceries cost of living in Ireland Dublin

In the living expenses Dublin requires, you’ll need to account for groceries. Grocery shopping isn’t the highest living cost in Ireland Dublin. Actually it is one of the categories of living expenses in Ireland Dublin that you can really easily decrease to save money. 

Our grocery bill for two people, with delivery, for a month of groceries (that includes breakfast, snacks, a couple of pop soda, lunches, dinners, and meat) usually costs around €300.

Here are the costs of some of the foods we usually buy:

• 1kg of rice: €1
• 1kg of pasta: €1
• 1L of almond milk: €2
• 500g of meat: €3 to €5 on average – We usually buy deals which come with three boxes of fresh meat (chicken, pork, beef) with a weight of between 250g and 1,5kg, for a total of €10 (regardless of the weight).
• frozen pizza: €3
• 1 dozen eggs: €3
• 1 Mika chocolate bar: €1.49
• 300g sour cream: €0.99
• 500mL of fresh milk: €0.75
• 1 yellow pepper: €0.59
• 480g of salmon fillets: €7.29
• 1 banana: €0.23
• 550g sliced bread: €2.19
• 1 Pink Lady apple: €0.39
• 500g tomatoes on the vine: €1.49
• 1 carrot: €0.10
• 250g grated mozarella: €0.99
• 390g lentils in water: €0.69
• 250g cheese: €2
• 1kg of potatoes: €1.50
• 1 cucumber: €0.59

Utilities cost

The average cost of living Dublin offers also needs to factor in utilities. One thing to know is that water is free in Ireland (which is quite nice). Every month, you’ll either have to pay electricity, gas or both depending on how your accommodation is wired. In our case we pay both. We receive a bill every two month for each of these expenses which average to:

• electricity: between €50 to €90 per month in normal times (recently bills have gone up, but that was also mitigated by credit received from the government)
• gas: around €60 per month, less in the summer, more in the winter (bills have also gone up recently with one over €300 for two months!). 

Your living in Dublin cost will also need to factor in any wifi or phone plan you have:

• Wifi: €25 per month for the first six months, €65 per month after that
• Phone plan: €20 per month with unlimited 4G

Transportation cost in Dublin

Here are the costs of transportation in Dublin in 2023:

• Gasoline: around €2 
• Monthly pass for public transportation: around €100, sometimes closer to €150
• Taxi trip from the city centre to the airport: €25 – €35 depending on whether it’s a night fare and if you go through the tunnel
• One Luas one-way ticket: around €2
• One DART round-trip ticket: around €5

Health expenses in Dublin

If you are wondering is living in Dublin expensive in terms of health services, the answer, from a French perspective, is yes. From a USA perspective, you might think it’s actually quite cheap!

• GP consult: €65
• Consultant/ specialist consult: €200
• Dentist for a cleaning and small cavity: €250
• Private health insurance: €1000 per year per person (includes free GP online consults, and other free services like 10 free sessions with a psychologist)
• ER without being referred bbq a GP: flat €100 fee
• ER with referral from GP: free
• Cold medicine: €7
• Antibiotics for 12 days: €20

Self-care products cost in Dublin

• Shampoo: €3
• Conditioner: €4-€5
• Period pads: €4
• Tampons: €5
• Toothpaste: €3
• Body-wash: €4-€5

Cost for eating out in Dublin

Eating out is actually not really expensive in the city. Dublin offers lots of different restaurants and fast foods for all budgets!

• Fast food menu: around €10 per person
• Asian restaurant for two: around €30-€40 total
• Simple lunch menu (e.g. Irish stew): around €15 per person
• Sushi for two: around €50-€80
• Irish breakfast: around €20 for two

Going out/Leisure

There are lots of free things to do in Dublin such as going for a walk on one of the best Dublin beaches, visiting Phoenix Park and finding the Phoenix Park deer.Dublin also has a lot of free museums which are actually really good!Of course, there are also lots of paying activities you can do in the city:

• Playing pingpong/pool: This is one of the best things to do for couples in Dublin to have fun! It will cost about €15 for an hour
• Going to the movies with snacks: €15 per person
• One theatre ticket: around €60
• One pint in the city centre: around €5-€6
• One cocktail: around €7

Clothing

When it comes to clothing, though the offer isn’t the best in Europe, Dublin does have something for every budget! You can find clothes (including working clothes) for about €20 per piece. Of course, you can always find something more expensive! 

How much does living in Dublin cost if you have kids

Though we don’t have kids, I feel compelled to include the cost of creche in Dublin in this list. I have heard so many stories of parents saying that creche is so expensive that it isn’t worth it for one of them to even keep working! On average, creche costs around €600 per month, with some costing up to €1000 per month for one child! Note also that the number of spots is limited and people register their kids before they are even born in hope that a spot will be free in two years time. The Dublin cost of life changes drastically when you have just even one child. 

Cost of living calculator Dublin

You can use this cost of living calculator in Dublin to estimate what is the cost of living in Dublin Ireland for you and your family. 

Student cost of living

A student living Dublin’s life won’t have the same budget as a couple or a single professional worker. The cost of living in Dublin for a student will mainly depend on whether you choose one of the university living Dublin options or you choose living on your own. 

According to University College Dublin, the median monthly cost of living in Dublin for students is €1980. This includes accommodation, utilities, food, local travel with the student leap card (more on this later), books and copying, clothing and hygiene, internet and mobile expenses and personal and social expenses. 

The cost of student accommodation in Dublin varies depending on where you live. On average, students spend around €1,000 per month on rent. Though this is and average cost of student accommodation in Dublin, you should note that because of your student status, some landlords or university housing require you to pay several months in advance as a lump sum before moving in. 

In addition to the living cost in Dublin for international students, you’ll need to add the cost of your studies and the cost of your visa:

• Median cost for one trimester: €7,920
• Irish Residence Permit Card per year of your programme: €300 (if non-EU/EEA/UK/Swiss)
• Mandatory private health insurance cover: between €160-€670 per year

You can find more information here.

More cost of living information

• Cost of living Dublin vs London: At this stage, both are equivalent. When comparing, lots of websites indicate that rent is higher in London. That said, we need to compare what is comparable. Though rent amounts are slightly higher in London, what you get for that price is at a totally different level than Dublin. In London, you’ll get a modern apartment, close to the metro, with great facilities. Salaries are also higher in London so you are in a better place to afford the same rent you would in Dublin. 

• Cost of living Cork vs Dublin: Though the cost of living has increased in all Irish cities, Dublin remains at least 25% more expensive than Cork. 

• Cost of living in Dublin Ireland compared to US: On average, the cost of living in Dublin is slightly lower than the USA but it also depends on the cities you compare Dublin to. For example, New York does not offer the same quality of life as Dublin so it is hard to compare the two!

Variable expenses for moving to Dublin

To the cost of living in Dublin, you’ll have to add the costs of moving to Dublin:

• Flights: variable
• Visa: variable, around €300 for a student visa
• Temporary Airbnb until you find accommodation: at least €100 per night
• Furniture: for a one bedroom apartment that has the basics (a table, a couch, a kitchen, a bed), about €500
• Deposit and first month of rent: variable

Housing crisis in Dublin

As soon as you start to live in Dublin, one of the first thing you hear about is the housing crisis. Expats in Dublin, just like locals, are well aware that finding accommodation is very complicated due to high prices and low offer. 

In 2023, officials have issued warning to the attention of people wanting to move to Dublin. For example, you can see this communication from the French Embassy on the situation. You can read this article in English as well. The conclusion is that currently, Dublin is much more expensive than Paris when it comes to rent. Although it is still slightly less expensive than London, what you get in London for equivalent budgets is much nicer!

Salary needed to live in Dublin

Considering the living cost in Dublin and the housing crisis, knowing what salary you will need to live in Dublin is absolutely necessary. Of course, that salary will also depend on your lifestyle in Dublin. 

In our experience, the living wage Dublin expats need to be able to rent a one bedroom in the city in 2023 would be around €50,000 gross annually. If you are a couple and living together, then a minimum of €30,000 per person would be needed. Those amount would allow you to rent a one bedroom, save money for future projects and have some fun money as well. Dublin City life is quite rich and even though there are a number of free things to do in the city, it is nice to have some fun money available for paying activities! 

If you are moving to Dublin by yourself, I honestly would not recommend taking the plunge if you are going to make less than €30,000 per year. Some people manage it but a lot of people struggle and have to compromise on important things like health expenses or decent accommodations. 

Is Dublin Ireland safe to live

Safety in Dublin was one of my first concerns. I had lived in big cities before but never in a capital. As a woman who would have to walk alone after work in the dark, I wanted to make sure that where we lived in Dublin was safe and that I wouldn’t be worried about going out by myself.

Is Dublin safe for women

In general, as a woman, I would say that Dublin is very safe for women. I’ve never felt scared or worried walking alone at night for example. If you go to Temple Bar, even though everyone is drinking, most people are just having fun and minding their own business. I have witnessed a guy once telling the bartender off and he was taken out of the pub by security right away without resistance. All together, the city centre is pretty safe with a good ambiance.

That said, I can’t help but remind you of the basics:

• If you’re walking out at night, always stick to the main avenues
• Take a cab home if you can or get someone to walk you home
• always let someone know where you are at night and when you’ve made it home

Those are basics that could save your life. Dublin or elsewhere, you never know what could happen.

Is Dublin safe in general 

In general, Dublin is safe but it does have a couple of problems. The first problem is drugs which in certain areas of the city can make streets look sketchy. Though people mostly keep to themselves, I wouldn’t recommend hanging out there. The second problem is groups of young people being aggressive. There has been a couple of crimes committed that involved minors and those are quite sensitive in the country as the laws against minors are said to be “too mild”. 

All together, I’d say that Dublin is safer than some other European capitals but has its share of issue just like any other capital as well. If you cover your basis and avoid certain areas, you’ll be fine. 

Racism in Ireland

Though living abroad had many benefits in several aspects of your life, we wouldn’t feel like this post would be complete without dedicating a section on racism. To be completely frank, we have never experienced racism in Ireland. This is probably due to the fact that we are white and rarely experience racism anywhere we go. That said, we are aware that racism is a reality for many people of colour in Ireland. We are also aware that we are not the best placed to talk about it but still wanted to give a bit of a stir with some resources you can check to get more information.

Now, having lived in several different countries and having heard some pretty racist comments that would make you fall off your chair, we would say from experience that there will (unfortunately) always be racist people no matter where you go. So Ireland is no different in that sense. 

It seems also that racism has increased recently with the housing crises and some Irish people feeling like it is all the fault of immigrants and expats. 

In a city like Dublin, you’ll find that there is a real mix of nationalities, looks and skin colours, making it probably a bit more open minded than smaller and farther communities. All together, we’d say that racism here is a reality but it’s far from concerning every Irish person and most of them are very welcoming. 

You can check this page to learn more about racism in Ireland.

What to expect from Irish people in Dublin

This post would not be complete without a bit of information as to what to expect from Irish people in Dublin and Ireland in general as well. Of course, we can only speak from our experience in this section, so take everything with a grain of salt.

In our experience, Irish people are very welcoming and super friendly. Adapting to our work for example went very well. Most people were easy to talk to, and interested in us and conversations flew easily. 

In stores, pubs, and other public places, we made the same conclusion. People are overall friendly and ready to help if you need anything. 

What to expect from Irish culture when living in Dublin

Though the city is cosmopolitan, living in Dublin will definitely immerse you in the Irish culture. Irish culture is rich and includes a range of different aspects such as art, cuisine, language, music, dance, storytelling and sport. We go into more details in the following sections.

Irish music

Music takes a huge space in Irish culture and you will definitely notice that in Dublin. In Dublin, one of the best music cities in the world, you won’t be able to miss how present live music is in the city. In Temple Bar, especially, you’ll find numerous pubs that offer live music. The artists and bands performing are usually really good and will sing all the most popular hits that Irish people love such as Zombie and Don’t Look Back in Anger. Two of the best pubs to see live music are The Temple Bar Pub and The Quays. 

In addition to live music in pubs, Dublin is also famous for its buskers. A busker is an artist performing on the street. You’ll usually find them on Henry Street and Grafton Street. All performing buskers must have a permit (which costs around €30) and can only sing for a limited amount of time in the same spot (around 1h). If you are shopping on Grafton Street, you will see lots of different buskers, some singing covers and some singing originals. Some are even touring artists! One of them, Allie Sherlock, is a recognised artist and has appeared on Irish TV and on Ellen Degeneres. She is currently produced by Ryan Tedder, lead singer of the band One Republic (which, if I may say, I love and Ryan Tedder is a genius!).

Beyond live music and buskers, Dublin also represents traditional music which you can also listen to in pubs. You can listen to traditional Irish music at The Cobblestone Pub. Traditional Irish music features a number of instruments such as the fiddle, the harp and the mandolin. 

Regardless of where you listen to music in Dublin, you’ll usually find big crowds and an amazing atmosphere of people belting the songs out with a beer!

Art in Dublin

Art is present in Dublin at every corner. Dublin street art is all over the city. You’ll come across some great pieces as you walk around the city. Our favourite ones are located by the docks on Grand Canal Street Upper, and on Moss Street. 

Beyond the street art, there are many art museums across the city. The National Gallery of Ireland, located near Trinity College, is one of the biggest and most famous art museums in the city. You can find a list of the best free museums in Dublin here.

Pub culture in Dublin

Pub culture is huge in Ireland. Pubs are, to Irish people, like a second home. Grabbing a pint is just the normal way to socialise here so pubs play a big role in making friends and socialising. it is quite common to see people heading for the pub after work for example. I, once, went to the doctor for a stomachache and the first question I was asked was whether I drank too much (I dislike alcohol so I actually don’t drink any lol) and that I should stop. When I told the doctor I didn’t drink alcohol at all, she clearly had a hard time believing me. This gives you an example of how normal it is for people to grab a (several) pint(s) on a regular basis!

But pub culture isn’t just about drinking. It clearly is about gathering and spending a good time together whether that’d be for chatting, singing or even dancing! The ambiance at the pub is often very chill and people are quite friendly! 

Food in Dublin

Just like in French culture, food is a big part of Irish culture. Stews, chowder and the Irish breakfast are all symbols of Ireland. 

Irish sports in Dublin

Sports take a lot of room in Irish culture no matter how old you are and where you are from in the country. The most popular sports are Gaelic football, hurling and camogie. You can sometimes watch trainings in St Anne Park or Phoenix Park. In addition to Irish sports, Dublin is also a place where you can watch horse racing shows, greyhound racing shows, and American college football. Irish people also love to golf! There recently was a game of American college football and the streets were filled with Irish and Americans in Dublin!

Languages in Dublin

Before you come to live in Dublin, it is good to know what to expect as far as languages spoken in Dublin. 

First, English and Irish are the two official languages in Ireland. Though Irish is one of the official languages and most people can understand it and speak a bit of it, English is really the main language used every day and at work. Signs are in both languages and official documents have to be released in both languages as well.

If you want to come living in Dublin as an American, you’ll need to be ready to hear a range of languages when walking on the street. Although there are a few Americans living in Dublin, there are loads of foreigners in Dublin from all over Europe and the world. From Polish to Italian, Portuguese, French and more, there are many languages spoken in the city. This is also a good opportunity for you to learn another language if you are already a native speaker.

If you come to Dublin and aren’t a native English speaker, fear not, you will quickly find your place in the city. As there are a lot of foreigners in Dublin, it is easy to meet people that speak the same language as you. It can be a bit discouraging when you don’t speak English fluently and can make you feel out of place if you have a hard time following conversation and communicating. Finding some people that speak the same language as you will make you feel a bit at home. 

Irish Slang you should know before living in Dublin

If you are going to be living in Dublin Ireland as an American, you’ll notice soon enough that the slang here is quite different! Having lived in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, I was a bit confused at first at some of the Irish slang but quickly learned! Here are some expressions you should probably know to avoid being confused every five minutes:

• Lads: Lads is the equivalent of “guys” in American English and is used for both girls and boys.
• Your man/Your lad: When people refer to “your man” or “your lad”, they don’t actually mean “yours”. It just mean that they are talking about a certain person. So if someone tells you “I saw your man with a lady”, they don’t mean that ti was actually your boyfriend. 
• Having a bad dose: That just means “being sick” or “having a bad cold”. 
• Sorry: In the USA, if you’re in someone’s way, they’ll say “excuse me” or “pardon me”. Here, people just say “sorry” and they’re good to go.
• “Sure look”: People don’t actually mean that you should look at something, it just means that it is what it is. 
• Grand: Saying that something or someone is “grand”, means it is/they are ok. 
• Up to my eyes: If someone tells you they ar sup to their eyes, it simply means they are busy.
• Giving out: This means complaining
• Craic/Gas: Gas is the Irish word for fun. If someone tells you something is good craic or something is gas, it means it was fun!
• Feck: This is the polite way to say the F word. It is used even professionally sometimes!

There are many more Irish slang words but you’ll get by with those to being with!

Irish Names

One of the things that I was the most scared about when starting work in Dublin was not being able to match Irish people to their names. That’s because Irish names are very popular here and are pronounced a completely different way than their spelling which can make it difficult to identify who is who. 

To get a glimpse of how difficult and funny it can be to pronounce Irish names, check out our Irish Names challenge we filmed here. 

If you are going to be living in Dublin as an expat, bruising off on Irish names is a good idea! Here are some names that are common with their pronunciation:

Spelling	Pronunciation
Sinéad	Shunaid
Siobhán	Sheevawn
Caoimhe	Queeva or Keeva
Padraig	Pawdreig or Porrig
Ruairí/Ruaidhrí	Rory
Donnchadh	Donaka
Tadhg	Tayg
Aoife	Eefa
Saoirse	Sorcha
Niamh	Never
Eoin	Own or Owen
Maeve	Meyve
Oisin	Awshin
Aisling	Ashling

Irish work culture in the capital

If you are starting your life in Dublin as an expat, you will most likely need to work in the city. Knowing about the work culture in Dublin is probably a good idea so you don’t get caught off guard by certain Irish specificities!

After living in Dublin for over 3 years, we found that some of the information on Dublin work culture you can find online is completely outdated especially since the past couple of years. There has definitely been a bit of a shift with the ways of working and working from home in Dublin.

Before we go into more details, we would like to caveat the information in this section by saying that who you work with can greatly influence your perception of the work culture in Dublin.

In 2023, I would say that the work culture in Dublin has a focus on work life balance though a minority (boomers essentially) are still stuck in their old ways. Overall, most companies offer a hybrid model where you can work from home at least two days a week. Some companies have also gone fully remote (they have my full support lol) placing more importance on the quality or the work rather than on your meaningless physical presence in the office. If you are looking for a hybrid job, you should be able to find one.

In 2023, most companies also operate some sort of flexible schedule. This means that even though you’re technically supposed to be at work from 9am to 5pm, companies allow you to arrive later and finish later or start earlier and finish earlier while business allows. This is great, especially if you have to commute as you’ll be able to avoid traffic at peak hours!

One thing that may shock you if you are an American expat, is that you will get a minimum of 20 days of annual leave by law. This is an EU minimum threshold that companies can’t lower. In our experience, taking leave is rarely an issue. Our employers have always validated our leave quickly without any problem. Taking leave is part of the Irish culture so you won’t be looked down upon for taking some days off. Most people take between two to three weeks off during or around summer, a few days at Christmas and maybe another few days during the year, depending on how much leave they get. People even sometimes take a full month off if they can and it is considered normal. 

As to the everyday work culture, we would both say it is pretty chill. Of course, people work hard and get the job done which means that sometimes you have to put in a few more hours. But overall, work life balance is also kept in mind. We also find that Irish people love to bring treats at work and gather to celebrate new joiners or leavers. You can feel the friendly feeling through work. Both our jobs (which are completely different) also organise a range of events throughout the year either through the organisations or more punctual events such as Christmas dinners. 

Overall, the work culture is pretty balanced with a will to not take work the centre of your life. This might be surprising for American expats at first, but trust us, you’ll get used to it quickly. 

Applying for a PPS number in Dublin

Your expat life in Dublin will start with applying for a PPS number. A PPS number is similar to a social security number and give you access to social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland.

If you are living and working in Dublin, you will need a PPS number to avoid being taxed at 40% on your income (see section on taxes in Ireland). To obtain a PPS, you will need to prove your identity, your address and why you need a PPS number. PPS numbers are provided in limited circumstances which include starting work in Ireland or to apply for a driver’s licence. Note that if you are applying for a PPS number to be able to work, you will need to have secured your employment.

You can apply for a PPS number online with your ID, proof of address and evidence of why you need a PPS number. You will then, most likely, be asked to fo to one of the offices to complete your application.

In our experience, the main barrier to obtaining a PPS number is that you need a proof of address. When you move to Dublin, you’ll most likely have a temporary proof of address which might not always work to obtain your PPS number. The problem with that is that to be able to rent, most landlords and agencies require you to already have a PPS number so they can register the tenancy. So people sometimes run in circles for a bit as you can’t have a PPS number without an address and can’t have an address without a PPS number.

In our experience, landlords can be flexible and understanding in that regard. In our case, we were able to rent the apartment and then quickly ask for the PPS number. The process of obtaining the PPS number took about a month. We have also heard people who were able to provide a temporary address to obtain their PPS number and then changed it once they secured their apartment. 

In any cases, you can find more information and apply on the government website here. 

Opening a bank account in Dublin

One of the first steps you will need to go through once you arrive in Dublin is opening a bank account. Recently, two banks announced that they were leaving Ireland leaving only two banks as a choice for people in Ireland. Those two banks are Allied Irish Banks known more commonly as AIB and Bank of Ireland known more commonly as BoI. 

If you come from an EU country, you are legally not required to have a bank account in Ireland. Employers have the obligation to pay you on your EU bank account and cannot force you to open a bank account in Ireland. In practice, some employers will not hire you or pay you on accounts outside of Ireland (which is illegal).

Though opening a bank account in Dublin is fairly straightforward, its main drawback is the amount of fees banks charge here. For accuracy, we recommend you check the banks’ websites to see how many fees you’ll be charged.

What documents do you need to open a bank account in Dublin?

To open a bank account in Ireland, you will need a proof of identity with a photo and a proof of address. With AIB, you can also open an account online. You can find more information on their website directly. 

Online banks

Due to the relatively high fees that banks charge in Ireland, a lot of people have turned to online banks such as N26 and Revolut. You can check those banks and see if they will suit your needs. Note that some employers cannot pay wages on certain online banks due to incompatible systems. 

Finding work and interview process in Dublin

Finding a job in Dublin is nowhere near as complicated as finding an apartment, which is good news. If you are wondering how to live in Dublin Ireland, one fo the main steps is to find a job. In some cases, depending on where you are from, finding employment prior to coming to Ireland will be a requirement of your visa. In most cases, a proof of employment is absolutely needed to be able to rent a place whether your own or shared. 

How to find a job and where to apply

One way to find a job in Dublin is asking your current employer whether the company has a branch in Dublin and if there are opportunities for you to move there. If you need to be sponsored for a visa, this might be the easiest way to move to Dublin.

If you are looking for a temporary job to learn English, whether full time or part time, Dublin is a great place for that. There are hundreds of pubs, restaurants, and stores that are looking for staff pretty much all year round. The easiest way to find work in that field is printing a bunch of CVs and distributing it at each store. You’ll usually see a sign when places are looking for staff but even if there isn’t one, you might have a chance. Charity shops are also often looking for staff. If your English level is beginner, these jobs will help you improve quickly.

If you are looking for more of a long-term professional position, websites like Indeed, Linkedin or companies websites are your best bet to find one. 

What to know about job interviews in Dublin

For short-term jobs at pubs and stores, you might have a proper interview though it isn’t rare that people get hired on the spot. The manager, if present, will interview you when you are dropping your CV and quickly decide whether you are a good fit. For that reason, we would recommend being prepared to answer some basic questions such as:

• Tell me about yourself (Prepare yourself to be able to explain your professional experience and qualifications. No one cares about your age and that you have a cat)
• What are your strengths and weaknesses
• When can you start

If you are a beginner at English, it is important to prepare to be able to communicate the most important information and to show that you are able to communicate in English even if it’s not perfect. This will reassure the manager that you can interact with customers for example.

If you are going for a more professional position (such as an office job as opposed to service/hospitality), the interview process will surely look different. In my experience, I’ve had to do a skills assessment and three interviews. The skills assessment was completed online and took about one hour. The first round of interviews was on the phone with a human resources staff. The second round of interview was a group assessment on site. The last interview was in person. The process took a couple of months. Eric also had to go through several round interviews. Several round interviews with skills assessment are fairly standard if you apply for a professional position.

If you need to travel to Ireland to interview in person, you’ll need to factor that cost in your budget as explained above. Since 2020, most companies are happy to interview through online video conference but some definitely prefer meeting you in person before signing you. 

How to get to work when living in Dublin

Below, you’ll find a section dedicated to public transportation you can use when living in Dublin. But in addition to that, we wanted to include a dedicated section on transportation to your place of work. And that’s because a number of employers offer schemes that are financial beneficial for your commute to work. For example, some employers provide some financial support for buying a bicycle or will refund you part of your bus expenses. This is something that is good to know as it can affect the type of public transportation you end up choosing. 

Taxes when living in Dublin

We are not accountants but we can give you a quick spill as to how taxes work in Dublin so you know what to expect when you start working. 

In Ireland, income taxes for employees are payed at the source. This essentially means that your employer will deduct the taxes owed to the government directly form your pay before it reaches your bank account. This means that the salary transferred to your bank account is net and exactly what you get in your pocket. 

Though taxes are payed at the source, you will need to register your employment onto the official website called revenue.ie. This is a straightforward enough process and your employer can also help you with the process. 

One thing to note is that if you start working in Dublin before obtaining your PPS number, you will be taxed at a higher rate (about 40%) until you obtain it. Once you add it to your account, the government will refund you the extra taxes paid but that process can take a few months. So it is best to have your PPS number before you start working. 

How to find an apartment in Dublin

Finding an apartment in Dublin is the hardest part of moving to Dublin. As you will have seen in the above section about the average cost of living in Dublin Ireland, rent in Dublin is literally through the roof. And that’s become the demand is way higher than the offer, making it difficult to find an apartment even if you increase your budget!

As we have had to go through that step ourselves, we are sharing in this section, all of our tips to have the best chances to find an apartment quickly.

Before moving to Dublin

Before moving to Dublin, we highly recommend either renting an Airbnb, a hotel room or a home stay for at least 2 weeks. This will give you a place to stay at when arriving in Dublin and some time to find a place.

Things not to do when looking for an apartment in Dublin

Scams are very common in Dublin when it comes to renting an apartment. There are a few things that you should never do when looking for an apartment in Dublin, as follows:

• Do not rent an apartment from abroad; if someone offers to rent to you before you are in Ireland, it is likely a scam
• Do not send money to anyone until you have physically seen the apartment yourself, otherwise it is likely a scam
• Ideally, never send money until you have the keys of the apartment
• Anyone who messages you explaining that they can’t do video tours or that you need to pay to visit, is a scammer
• If you have any doubt on the landlord or agency, it is likely a scam (trust your instinct!)

Things you should know when looking for an apartment in Dublin

There are some things you should know and that can also help you identify scams, as follows:

• Landlords must register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board. You can check on the register or by checking with RTB if your landlord is real (and serious) before sending any money
• If after signing the lease, your landlord does not comply with their obligation, you can also contact RTB or Threshold to get support.
• You need to make your application as strong as possible a sphere will most likely be a lot of people applying for the same apartment
• Sometimes agencies will ask you to “save your spot” by giving them a deposit. If the agency is real (e.g. if they have an office in Dublin), this is fine. If you don’t get chosen by the landlord, the agency will refund you the money. This is a way for agencies to triage serious applicants from unreliable tenants. 

Sites to find an apartment

To find an apartment, the main site to use is Daft.ie. Rent.ie is another one you can use but you’ll find almost always the exact same apartments as on DAFT. Note that often times, agencies and landlords forget to remove the ads after the apartment has been rented so you might be applying to already rented apartments. 

If you are looking to rent a room in an apartment, for roommates or to rent a room in a house with locals, you can use the following:

• Facebook groups
• Homestay
• Spotathome
• Hosting Power

Tips to apply for an apartment

We are not going to sugarcoat it, it will be difficult to find a place. But with a good application and a bit of work, it’s not impossible. Here are our tips to make your application the strongest:

• Register on Daft and turn on the notifications. This way you will receive a notification every time an apartment is posted online;
• Apply as soon as the ad is posted. Within 5 minutes, there will be hundreds of applications so you cannot afford to apply after an hour or “when you’ll have time”;
• Call the agent if you can to get your name on the list of visitors right away
• When applying online, you will have a text box where you can enter your information. Here is what worked for us:
  • Names and professions/places of work
  • Salaries per year
  • A couple of lines about ourselves
  • A list of documents we could provide at the viewing. This can be essentially anything that proves you can pay and are the best tenants in the world such as bank account statements, proof of employment, reference letter from employer with salary, reference letter from previous landlord.

• Keep a spreadsheet of apartments you’ve applied to so you can keep track of responses. 

Cost of rent in Dublin

To ensure you can pay the deposit and first of month of rent right away, we would recommend having at least €4,000 available in cash. Considering the cost of rent, this is a minimum. Having the money available in cash will allow you to be able to pay the deposit and first month of rent right away before having a bank account opened. 

If your home country bank limits you as to how much you can withdraw in cash within 24 hours (which was my case), you can use services like Western Union and send cash to yourself from Western Union to An Post. The money will be taken from your bank account and be available for cash withdrawal at An Post. I know it sounds a bit crazy but it works. 

Student accommodation in Dublin

If you are looking for student accommodations, here are some of them: 

• This is Fresh student living Dublin
• From Here student living Dublin
• Highlight student living Dublin

If you are interested in shared living Dublin options, you can check out co living spaces Dublin offers:

• LIV student Dublin
• Yugo
• Heyday Student living

Best neighbourhoods in Dublin

Dublin isn’t a big city but it has a lot of neighbourhoods. The city is essentially split in two by the Liffey River. In the North, you’ll find odd numbers while in the South, you’ll find even number. For example, Dublin 1 is in the North. Lower number are closer to the city centre while higher number are farther. 

In general, people will speak of South Dublin as having the good areas in Dublin. This doesn’t mean that the Northside isn’t safe or good enough. But in general, nicer areas are located in the South. 

Best Dublin neighborhoods for expats close to the city centre

Close to the city centre, some of the best Dublin neighborhoods for expats include Dublin 2, Dublin 4, and Dublin 6. that includes the city centre near Trinity college, Pembroke, Rathmines, Ranelagh and Donnybrook. Ranelagh, for example, is known as one of the best districts in the city for families as it has some of the best schools in the city.

On the Northside, the IFSC in Dublin 1, Dublin 3 and the Clontarf area in Dublin 5 are popular among expats as well with good public transportation as they are near the Luas and on a lot of buses routes. 

From these neighbrouhoods, you can almost always walk to the city centre in maximum 45 minutes which is quite handy if you don’t like dealing with traffic or having to pay for public transportation which is expensive and not so good in Dublin!

Best Dublin neighborhoods for expats a bit farther

If you don’t mind having to bus, train or take the tramway (called the Luas), there are some further towns that are quite nice for expats who work in Dublin.

On the Northside, Swords, Portmarnock, Howth and Malahide are quite nice. Portmarnock, Howth and Malahide are mid-size beach towns and are great if you like to leave in peace away from the bustling city. 

On the Southside, Sandymount, Dun Laoghaire (pronounced “Dun Leery”, I know, I know), Dalkey, Killiney and Bray are just as popular. With beaches, piers, and loads happening on the weekends, these towns are great if you aspire to a life away from the city but not completely isolated.

From the farthest towns, you’ll need to account for about an hour of commute by train to the city centre. Some of these towns are only about 20 minutes from Dublin by train though. 

Areas to avoid when living in Dublin

If you want to know where not to live in Dublin, we’ll talk about it in this section. What is a bit difficult with Dublin is that there isn’t one full district that you should avoid. In general, it’s only certain streets or certain sections of streets that are considered “rough” by locals.

In Dublin City centre, Parnell Street and Sheriff Street don’t have the best reputation amongst locals. Pearse Street is also badly ranked though, to be honest, we have walked there dozens of times and there was never anything to report.

Tallaght, Blanchardstown, Finglas, Ballyfermot, Jobstown, Ballymun and Darndale are usually considered areas with the highest rates of crime. Note also that dynamics in the city can change quickly so just because an area has a bad reputation doesn’t mean it’s actually unsafe. One tip we can give you is to ask around when you arrive and get a sense for each neighbourhood.

Where to find furniture and first necessities when moving to Dublin

Most apartments for rent in Dublin come furnished at a minimum. They will usually be equipped with a full kitchen, and basic pieces of furniture such as a table, a couple of chairs, a bed and maybe a couch. There is no doubt, however, that you will need to purchase some necessities on your arrival. 

If you need cheap but lasting furniture such as desks, nightstands, shelves or a coffee table, your best budget-friendly bet is to go to Ikea. Ikea is located in North Dublin right by the airport. It is a huge furniture store where you’ll be able to find anything from a multiple to a mattress and more. 

To get to Ikea from the city centre, you’ll have to take the bus if you don’t have a car. Bus 140, Bus 155 and Bus 13 all take you to Ikea. The journey takes about 40 minutes and departs from O’Connell Street. If you want to drive, you can rent a GoCar via the app on your phone. You’ll need to enter your driving licence and wait a few days for it to be validated. Note also that Ikea delivers as well for an additional fee. 

For other basic purchases such as sheets, blankets, and pillows, Penneys and Dunnes are your best bet for a reasonable price. They are both located in the city centre so you can get there on foot.

For other items, you’ll have to head to the two main shopping streets in Dublin, Grafton Street and Henry Street where you’ll find a couple of shopping centres and small shops selling a range of items from lightbulbs to shopping carts!

Do you need a car when living in Dublin City?

In our experience, if you live in Dublin City Centre, you don’t need a car to get around. 

Should you have a car when living in Dublin?

When moving to Dublin, it is likely that your place of work will be located in the city centre. To get to the city centre, you can either walk, bus, train, take the Luas or bike. Though some of these options are costly (around €100 for the most expensive one), they are still cheaper and more practical than owning a car in the city.

For comparison, a parking spot in the city centre can cost up to €150 with most of them costing around €100. There isn’t a lot of space in the city hence why the prices are high. In addition, owning a car in Ireland is expensive, especially on a foreign driving licence. The cost of the average motor insurance in Ireland in 2023 is €653 with some foreigners witnessing an ask for sometimes more than €1000 per year. You’ll need to had the cost of €55 for the National Car Test (NCT). How often you need to take the test depends on the age of your car. 

In addition to the cost, having a car also might not the best idea if you want to use it to go to work. Dublin, just like any other city, is filled with cars around peak hours and driving your own will just have you stuck in traffic.

All together, if you can avoid it, not having a car will definitely save you a lot of money!

How do you get around Dublin without a car?

As explained above, and though it’s not the best public transportation system, Dublin does have one. Between walking, buses, taxis, tramways and trains, you can go pretty much anywhere in Dublin if you are organised.

To explore outside Dublin, we recommend renting a GoCar via the app. This is a super easy way to get a car for a day and is often cheaper than renting with the big rental companies. Gas is also included! To download the app, head to your Apple Store of Google Store and search for GoCar. 

You can use our code 2283zp to receive a €25 discount on your first trip. 

We have used GoCar several times, especially to explore the Wicklow Mountains National Park and it was amazing! 

Getting around Dublin

While living in Dublin, you will quickly realise that the city is quite small compared to other European capitals, and therefore, it remains easily walkable. After over 3 years in Dublin, we are happy to report that we have mostly walked to get around. That said, there are situations where you will need to either drive or use public transportation which is what we are covering in this section.

Traffic when working and living in Dublin

Dublin’s traffic is quite something. Dublin’s public transportation, though it is decent, isn’t the most developed. For that reason, a lot (A LOT) of people still come to work by car. This means that the worst traffic happens around peak hours which are around 9am in the morning and 5pm in the evening. We both know colleagues who sometimes take about two hours to get home at night. 

Traffic also gets bad every time there is an accident by the tunnel on the Northside. The tunnel is a way to get out of the city a lot quicker but it also can get everyone stuck if there is an accident. If you plan on driving to work, we recommend listening to live Dublin traffic radio stations to get the most recent news.

If you live in Dublin, you frankly do not need a car to go around the city; it will save you time and money. 

Public transport in Dublin

Dublin is equipped with several types of public transport, as follows:

• The Luas: The Luas is the tramway. There are two Luas routes, the red line that goes from East to West on the Northside of the Liffey and the green line which goes from South to North. When it works, the Luas is a great way to get around, especially when it rains. That said, with only two lines, it is far from accommodating all parts of Dublin. If you don’t live or work near the Luas, it is kind of pointless. The price of your ticket will depend on the zone you are going to. 

• Buses: There are many bus routes all around Dublin. Whether you want to go from Dublin to Dublin airport, or Dublin City centre to Dublin zoo, you will most likely find a bus. Now, buses in Dublin can be a bit frustrating. Though they are supposed to be on a schedule, at peak hours, they are often late, sometimes a full hour. Buses also only take coins (no bills, no card payment) and they don’t give change, which, in this day and age, isn’t the most practical. Of course, they drive on the road meaning if it is peak hour, you will most likely be stuck in traffic as well. Bus tickets are usually around €2.

• The train: The local train that take you to Dublin is called the DART. It stretches from Greystones to Malahide. This is a great way to get to Dublin if you live in one of the nearby towns. It’s also a great way to get to those nearby seaside towns if you need a break from the city.

• Bicycles: Bikes are extremely popular in Dublin due to the decent offering of bike lanes. In most parts of the city centre, you do not have to share the road with cars as you get your own bike lanes. This is great, especially for visibility in the winter when it’s dark until late in the morning and early in the evening. Now, don’t go thinking you will be the only one biking to and from work. There are thousands of cyclists every morning and they are quite fierce! Also, before you go buying a bicycle, we recommend considering whether this is really a good idea. Indeed, the weather can get wild, especially in the winter (but also in the summer) and between the rain, the wind and the darkness, it’s not always the most enjoyable way to get to work. 

Dublin bikes are also available everywhere in the city, in case you don’t want to buy your own bike. You can buy a subscription. The first 30 minutes of each journey is free and then rental charges apply. The rental fees are as follows:

• 1 hour: €0.50
• 2 hours: €1.50
• 3 hours: €3.50
• 4 hours:€6.50
• Every extra half hour:€2 

To use the Dublin Bikes system, you will need to use the app. You can find more information here.

Public transport card

The public transportation card in Dublin is called the Leap Card. You can use it to pay all trips on buses, Luas and DART. The Leap Card has two main advantages:

• you won’t need to buy a ticket for every journey you take
• it saves you money if you need to use public transportation every day compared to buying tickets every time

To get a Leap Card, you will need to purchase it in one of the shops in the city. Lots of shops sell them and you can recognise them by the Leap Card sign on the outside. A Leap Card costs €10. 

In 2022, after years of complaints on the cost of pubic transportation in the city, Dublin introduced the TFI 90 minutes fare. The TFI 90 minutes fare means that for your fare, you can use any affiliated transportation for 90 minutes without any additional cost. For example, if you get on the bus at 8am, you can take any other bus or Luas until 9:30am for the same flat fee. The fee is usually around €2-€3. This is great if you need to take several types of transportation to get to work. 

To use your Leap Card, you will need to tap it once you get on and once you get off the bus, Luas,  or train. Your card will calculate your fare automatically. 

If you are a student, you can get a Student Leap Card. This gives you access to further discounts.

You can find more information on the Leap Card here. 

You can use this website to find which public transportation routes you need.

You should know about these routes

In this section, we thought it would be helpful to set out the main bus and Luas routes you will need when arriving in Dublin and starting to live in Dublin:

• Dublin airport to Dublin City centre: The best ways to get from Dublin airport to the city centre is by bus or taxi. A taxi will take about 20 minutes and will charge around €25. The fastest Dublin airport bus to Dublin City centre is the Dublin Express bus. Tickets cost €7 per person and you’ll be in the city in 20 minutes. Other options include taking the Aircoach bus or the city bus (line 16) though it will take at least 40 minutes to get there. 

• Dublin airport to Dublin zoo: From the airport, you will have to take either the Aircoach, Dublin Express bus or Bus 16 to the city. From the city, you will then have to take the red Luas to Heuston Station. From the station, you will finally have to walk 15 minutes to the zoo. Note that the Dublin Express bus drops you off at Heuston station so you don’t need to take the Luas in that case. 

• Dublin Heuston to Dublin airport: The fastest way to do the Dublin Heuston Dublin airport route is by Dublin Express bus. The journey from Dublin train station to Dublin airport will take about 45 minutes and costs €7 per person.

• Dublin center to Dublin airport: The fastest Dublin to Dublin airport bus is the Dublin Express which takes about 20 minutes. The cheapest Dublin bus to Dublin airport is Bus 16 which departs from O’Connell Street and takes at least 40 minutes. It only costs a couple of euros though. 

• Dublin train station to Dublin zoo: From Heuston Station, it is only a 15 minute walk to Dublin Zoo in Phoenix Park so you do not need public transportation.

• Dublin Connolly to Dublin zoo: From Connolly station to Dublin Zoo, you can take the red Luas, located right next to Connolly Station. It takes about 15 minutes to arrive to Heuston Station. From there, it is about a 15 minute walk to the zoo.

• Dublin port to Dublin City: To go from Dublin Port to Dublin City centre, the easiest way of transportation is the red Luas line. You can hop on the red Luas right by the 3Arena. If you are looking for a Dublin bus to Dublin port, we would also recommend taking the red Luas instead from the city centre. 

Buying a property to live in Dublin

You might be wondering which part of Dublin is best to live in when looking to buy a property. Let me tell you that before you can choose where you want to live, you’ll first have to figure out if you can even buy a house in Dublin.

If you plan on living in Dublin long term, buying a property in or around Dublin might be something you are considering. There are loads of steps involved in buying a property in the city. And though we haven’t gone through the process ourselves, we have friends who have, and it was not a walk in the park!

Before going into any detail, know that between the moment you sign the contract to the moment you get the keys, there is often a full year that passes. 

In Ireland, to buy property you will need a mortgage. This is a loan that you get from a bank. If you cannot repay the loan, the bank will essentially take your house (as a last resort). According to the new mortgage rules of the Central Bank of Ireland, you can borrow up to 4 times your gross income from January 2023. 

Before you buy a house in Dublin, you will need to find a solicitor that will assist you along the way. The buying process can be done either by private treaty or by public auction. A public auction essentially means that people bet on the price until no-one can compete (a pretty ruthless game). 

From what we have witnessed, the process to buy a house in Dublin is long, tiring and expensive. 

Social Security and Health Insurance

Health is important so it is necessary for us to provide some information on how it works in Dublin. Your PPS number also doubles as your social security number giving you access to a range of services. Though there is a sort of social security in Ireland, it is far from paying for everything.

To keep it simple, unless you are a child, very old or make barely any money, you will need to pay in full all every day medical appointments such as GP and dentists appointments.

If you need to go to the emergency room, it is either free or you’ll have to pay a flat fee (about €100 for EU citizens). For example, if you are referred to an exam at the public hospital by your GP, the exam will be free. The problem of the the public health system in Ireland is that it often takes months before you can get an appointment to see a specialist or get an ultrasound for example. 

That’s why, a lot of people take out private health insurance. Though it is another expense to factor into your budget (and not a small one), it covers part of your expenses to see specialists and do exams in the private sector. The main advantage of the private sector is that delays are much smaller and you can usually get an appointment within a week. That’s handy especially if something is really worrying you. Note however that private health insurance doesn’t cover everyday medical expenses very well. For example, our cover refunds us €20 on a €65 GP consult for a maximum of 6 consults. Compared to the French system, it’s pretty bad. 

Adapting to the Food offering in Dublin

The food offering in Dublin, though it varies from the USA and France or Canada, it is not that different either. 

Food offering in Dublin’s grocery stores

In terms of what you’ll find in grocery stores, I would say it is a good mix between European food and American food and Cuisines of the world. You’ll find lots of Irish products, especially Irish meat, but also lots of French and Polish products. In addition, you’ll always find pizza, burger buns, and sushi! No matter what you like to eat, you’ll most likely find it here. There are also a number of Asian shops in the city where you can find special Asian products.

Food offering for takeout in Dublin

As far as eating out, the offer is also pretty good in the city. From Mexican and Italian to Japanese and American, you’ll find pretty much any type of food in the city! You can check our favourite Dublin restaurants here. 

To order food in Dublin, you can use Deliveroo. Use our link https://roo.it/mariec-4xyh to get €8 off across your first four orders. 

Irish food offering in Dublin

Living in Dublin is a great opportunity for trying Irish dishes as you’ll find it all here. Some of the meals we recommend trying include:

• an Irish Breakfast at O’Neills or Lovinspoon
• an Irish Chowder at a pub
• a fish and chips at Beshoff
• an Irish stew at one of the numerous pubs in the city

Where to grocery shop in Dublin

If you are anything like us, then you like food! One big change to get used to when moving to Dublin is the offer of grocery stores which is likely different from your home country. In Dublin, there are several stores where you can go grocery shopping. We have listed them below with the type of budget you should have for each:

• Lidl: Lidl is a popular grocery shopping store in Europe and is well established in Dublin. It offers excellent products for some of the cheapest prices. Lidl also offers a range of French products (Lidl is super popular in France). There are several Lidl stores in the city.
• Aldi: Similar to Lidl, Aldi is popular and also on the cheapest side. You’ll find a range of products with a large choice. You can get groceries from Lidl delivered through a third party app.
• Tesco: Tesco is a bit of a bigger grocery store that also offers delivery, including on the weekend. This is where we do our main grocery shopping every couple of weeks. The prices are a bit higher than Aldi or Lidl in general but Tesco also aligns some of the prices on Aldi which is quite nice. With Tesco, you also get a clubcard where every time you purchase groceries, you receive points that later turns into discounts. You can choose your delivery slot on the Tesco website and do your grocery shopping online directly. What is especially handy is that Tesco remembers your previous orders. This will save you a ton of time! There are also a few Tesco Express stores in the city but we would recommend avoiding them as they are a lot more expensive.
• Marks and Spencer: M&S is another grocery store with more unique products where people usually shop to find products for special occasion. For example, you’ll find a range of prepared meals, unique fizzy drinks and treats. 
• Spar: Spar isn’t exactly a grocery store but it does offer some basic food such as fruits, snacks and drinks.
• Fresh: Fresh is a small grocery store where prices are definitely a bit higher but it is a handy one to have around. You’ll find a range of products such as fruits, milk, treats, bread, a few meats, cereal and drinks. If you need a basic, you’ll find it there.

Where to clothes shop when living in Dublin

Life in Dublin in terms of clothes shopping could probably be better, to be fully transparent. There are a number of clothing stores in the city such as H&M, New Look, Next and Dunnes but the offer beyond that is nowhere near the offer we knew from France, Vancouver or even London. There are also a number of more expensive stores where, to be frank, we never stepped foot (lol).

In Dublin, there are two main shopping streets called Grafton Street in the South, right near Trinity college and Henry Street by O’Connell Street. There are also two main shopping centre called St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre at the top of Grafton Street and the Jervis Centre on Henry Street. 

Where you shop will depend on your style but if you have an average budget, Dunnes is great for work clothes, and H&M and New Look are great to keep up with trends.

Dublin is also home to a number of charity shops where you can thrift clothes. 

Which phone operator should you choose when living in Dublin?

When moving to Dublin, we would highly recommend purchasing an Irish sim card to obtain an Irish phone number. Though your home country phone provider might have a plan that you can use while living in Dublin, we don’t recommend that for several reasons. One of these reasons include that when applying for apartments, most agencies and landlords will only call you back or consider you if they can call you, so on an Irish number. 

Another thing to consider is that delivery companies in Dublin are not the best. They will rarely ring the doorbell or come knock at your door. So they usually call you on the phone and they can only call Irish numbers. If you don’t have an Irish number, you may never receive your packages!

There are several phone plan providers in Dublin. The most popular and cheapest is Three. With Three, you have the choice between paying a subscription plan with a minimum length of a year or paying a top up plan. The top up plan is handy as you only pay as you need. 

For a top-up plan with unlimited internet access, and free calls to Three numbers, I pay €20 every time I top up. Note also that it isn’t common for Irish phone plan to include unlimited texts (contrary to France for example). People in Ireland use the app WhatsApp to message each other. The app works with the internet as opposed to the phone network. 

Foreigners in Dublin

Dublin, though not the biggest capital in Europe, is very much cosmopolitan! This is mostly due to the fact that Dublin is  hub for tech companies which attract people from all over the world.

When we walk in the city, we see a lot of people that just look so different and hear a lot of different languages. Of the foreign population, Polish, French, Indian, Brazilian and UK nationals are probably the biggest groups. But you’ll also find Americans, Romanians, Italians, Spanish and more recently Ukrainians. 

If you love being surrounded by different cultures and feeling like a citizen of the world, you’ll definitely like Dublin!

Making new friends in Dublin

When you leave your home country to live abroad, one of your main concerns might be how to make friends, especially if you are moving on your own. In this section, we cover how to make friends in Dublin.

Is it easy to make Irish friends in Dublin?

Though it doesn’t technically matter what nationality your friends are, let’s not forget that most expats in Dublin come to learn English which is a lot faster to do if you surround yourself with native speakers as opposed to foreigners like you. Immersion is the quickest way to understand and speak a language fluently so making friends with Irish people could definitely help you improve in that regard. 

Due to the friendly nature of Irish people, it is overall quite easy to make friends with locals. When we moved, we didn’t really do anything special to make friends with locals except actually talking to them and initiating conversations. One great way to start a conversation with someone, regardless of the context, is talking about the weather. Irish people LOVE talking about the weather and you can be certain that someone will answer you!

Is it easy to make foreign friends in Dublin?

It is absolutely easy to make foreign friends in Dublin. Lots of foreigners in Dublin are only staying for a few months so they are quite active while they are here and willing to connect with others. Others usually stay for a few years and are willing to make longer connections. 

Where to meet friends in Dublin?

As we explain in one of the last sections, foreigners in Dublin usually have a dedicated Facebook group for each nationality. We would highly recommend joining those groups to meet people. Members often plan activities or visits together.

Besides Facebook groups, you can also use Meet-Up to meet people. The New and Not So New in Dublin thread is quite active and one of the popular Meet-Up to join for new comers in Dublin.

Other places to meet foreigners like you is at organisations such as Alliance Française or Internations. They organise a range of events throughout the year where you can meet people in your situation.

As for meeting locals, pubs are a great bet. Pubs are the place to be for most young professionals in Dublin whether that’d be for lunch or after work. Asking colleagues to go for a pint or a drink is often a great way to connect with them and make friends with the locals. Other ways to meet locals is to volunteer at different charities. There are a number of charities in Dublin so you do have a bit of choice. 

If you are a student, a great way to meet friends is through school! Universities in Dublin organise a range of activities and events throughout the year whether that’d be sports events, balls or concerts. Universities also usually have societies that you can join and that’s a great way to make friends with smaller groups!

What is it like living in Dublin: a typical week in the capital city

A typical week in Dublin will show you what it is like living in Dublin:

• Monday to Friday: Work from 9am to 5pm with two days in the office, three days at home
• Mornings: traffic from 7am to 9:30am
• Evenings: traffic from 4pm to 7:30pm
• Weekly evenings: sometimes go out with colleagues for drinks after work
• Weekend: either order take out, go out, visit or go to one of the seaside towns

Things to do when living in Dublin

10 things to do in Dublin Ireland when arriving

1. Walk around the city to get a feel for the neighbourhoods
2. Start connecting with people, locals and foreigners. By connecting, you’ll learn a lot more about the city including tips and tricks.
3. Get your transportation card to save money
4. Open a bank account
5. Register your driving licence on the GoCar app
6. Plan a road trip across Ireland
7. Say yes when invited to go out (so you can meet people!)
8. Have some Irish food
9. Ensure your PPS has bee recorded by Revenue so you don’t get taxed extra
10. Buy a rain jacket rather than an umbrella

10 best restaurants in Dublin and 10 best pubs in Dublin

We have a full list of our favourite restaurants in Dublin here. 

10 things to see in Dublin when living in Dublin

For the main 10 places to visit in Dublin City Center, you can check our Dublin guide here. 

Our favourite visits in Dublin are:

• Dublin Castle: You can check tickets here.
• Book of Kells: You can check tickets here.
• Guinness Storehouse and the 360° view: You can check tickets here.
• St Patrick’s Cathedral: You can check tickets here.
• This music and dinner party at a Dublin townhouse: check availabilities here.

Living in Dublin: Useful Dublin websites

Though your life in Dublin Ireland will naturally be unique to your situation and circumstances, it is likely that you will, at some point, need access to certain official websites. In this section, we gathered the most important and reliable websites for official information. 

Manage your taxes 

Though taxes are taken at the source in Ireland, you will still need to fill out your information onto your government account and fill out any tax credit you may avail of. Everything that relates to your income, taxes and job can be managed on your Revenue account on revenue.ie.

Practical Information

Whether you are looking for information on health insurance, moving to Ireland or how to find a General Practitioner, the citizensinformation.ie website is an amazing resource to have at your fingertips. We have consulted this website many times for different reasons and it was aways very handy. It is especially great to understand how the health system and social security works in Ireland and your consumer rights, for example. You can also learn more about how to pass your driving licence in Ireland or how to renew your official documents!

Events in Dublin

To find what’s on in Dublin, dublin.ie is a great resource. It’s kept up to date most of the time and also provides some resources on how to work or study in Dublin.

Housing crisis support

With the housing crisis in Dublin making it very difficult to find a place also comes a fair number of abusive landlords who decided playing by the rules wasn’t worth it! In this context, we have heard and witnessed many situations where landlords were unfair and abusive of their rights. For example, some landlords will refuse to sign a contract and people are so desperate that they will pay rent anyways only to find out later on that they have no guarantee and the landlord is kicking them out. Some landlords refuse to maintain their apartment, which is one of their obligations. Certain landlords will refuse to give the deposit back to their tenants. The list goes on and on. 

As you move to Dublin, it is great to know about threshold.ie who provides free advice to people in Ireland with tenancy problems.

Facebook groups for tips and support

There are many Facebook groups made by expats for expats. In those groups, you will find:

• a mix of tips,
• ads for upcoming events, 
• people wanting to meet friends or looking for groups to go running/working out with
• people selling furniture for cheap to new comers
• updates on all official events like elections and how it works for you while you’re abroad
• support when you encounter a problem 
• ads from people looking for roommates 
• ads from people leaving their apartment
• support during hard times such as when borders are closed, etc

In those groups, you can also ask questions or sell your own things. This is really handy as it can be difficult at first to find answers to your questions when you just moved here. Some people also gather during the Holidays if they cannot go home. It’s always nice to have a sense of home away from home!

To find a Facebook group with people from your country, you’ll have to search in Facebook for [ “Nationality” living in Dublin ]. There are usually at least a couple of groups in existence. 

Living in Dublin Q&As

Any questions on living in Dublin? Then drop them in the comments or on insta and we will get back to you asap.