Moon Living Abroad in Ireland by Christina McDonald

Author:Christina McDonald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Avalon Travel
Published: 2012-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

Cost of Living

The World Cost of Living Survey 2010 ranked Dublin as the 42nd most-expensive city for an expatriate to live. In 2010–2011 Trinity College Dublin averaged the cost of living for one academic year (nine months) at €10,400 per year, including €4,900 for rent and electricity, €3,200 for food, and €2,300 for miscellaneous items. However, this estimate is for one person between September and May. So you can expect to spend an awful lot more than that if you aren’t a student, you have a family to provide for, you have to buy health insurance, or include the entire year in your cost-of-living estimate.

The average price for a two-bedroom apartment is €950–3,000, a two-bedroom house is €999–2,300, and a room in a shared apartment is €400–1,000. Your electric bill will cost approximately €500 per quarter in the winter, significantly less in the summer. A cell phone costs about €60–100 per month, and a home phone package with Internet and TV costs about €150 per month. If you own a flat or an apartment, you’ll have to add service charge, which can be about €2,000 per year for insurance, garbage collection, etc. Despite these outrageous prices in Dublin, the cost of accommodations (as well as everything else) drops considerably once you get out to the suburbs or the smaller towns and villages around Ireland. A weekly grocery shop is on average 14 percent cheaper outside of Dublin, according to the Central Statistics Office. In County Roscommon, a new property will cost you about €154,000, while in Dublin it is €306,000. Child care costs about €144 per week outside of Dublin compared to €192 in Dublin.

What all of this number fracas means is that where you live, how you live, and who you share your costs with will all play a role in deciding your daily costs while living in Ireland. Whether it will add up to be more than what you are paid in America depends on where you are coming from. If you are moving from New York, which ranks 27th on the most expensive cities to live list, you may come out thinking you’re getting off cheap. If you are moving from Los Angeles or Chicago, you will probably just about break even. But if you are coming from small town, USA, you may need a high-figure salary or an established savings account to supplement you.

As a whole, almost everything is more expensive in Ireland than it is in the United States. After 2002, when Ireland’s economy began to skyrocket and tourists began flooding to the Emerald Isle, Irish businesses saw an opportunity to mark up prices. This eventually earned Ireland the nickname Rip-Off Republic. Due to the current recession, prices have stabilized a bit, but it is still more expensive to live in or visit than the United States. Things like food and drink, clothes, cars, accommodations, household furnishings, and utility bills are all more expensive here.

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