Moving to Dublin

If you are thinking about moving to Dublin, then you should factor in the cost of living in the city. Estimated monthly costs for a family excluding rent are €3,233 and €1,065 for a single person. When considering the cost of moving to Dublin, make sure you factor in Visas when travelling from outside of the EU.

Finding suitable housing in Dublin isn’t as much of a challenge as many other major cities across the globe. The lifestyle available in the city has made Dublin a very desirable place to live, and as such, you should not struggle to find accommodation near good schools, shopping and plenty of green spaces to enjoy the outdoors.

You’ll be able to find a variety of houses and apartments within the city itself, in addition to housing estates or apartment blocks within a 30-minute drive of the city’s centre. Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Foxrock, and Stillorgan are surrounding areas that are easily commutable into the centre of Dublin by bus or car.

Other desirable areas a little further outside central Dublin are Killiney, Dalkey and Blackrock. These seaside villages are charming but also conveniently located so that you can still take advantage of DART (Dublin’s Rapid Railway System) to get you into the centre of the city quickly.

If you’re hoping for a slightly more rural location but also want to be close to Dublin, you might want to explore the surrounding counties of Meath, Wicklow and Kildare. These are all roughly within 60 minutes from Dublin and provide other perks you may not get to enjoy living within the city.

If you’re moving to Dublin with your family, you’ll want to make sure you choose the right school for your children. The quality of education offered to students in Dublin is certainly high quality, but it’s structured differently from what you’re probably used to if you come from the USA, the UK or elsewhere in Europe. The school systems in Ireland are based on preparing for national secondary exams, and all Irish schools follow the country’s national curriculum, dictated by the Department of Education.

All schools, whether public or private, require students to wear uniforms, which differ from school to school but usually consist of shirts in either white or grey, trousers or skirts in grey, a school tie and a blue blazer. You can purchase school uniforms in just about any Irish department store, look out for end of year sales or you can even pick up most of these items in your home country before you arrive.

Private and public schooling is available in Ireland to students, however, the difference between the two isn’t as obvious as it is within other countries. The only real difference is that private schools do not receive funding from the state.

There are several international schools within Dublin that are ideal for expat families with children that are school age.

For anyone moving to Dublin, you’ll be pleased to know that there is plenty to enjoy when it comes to entertainment and culture. One of the staple activities in Irish life is visiting the pub. As an expat, if you’re concerned about meeting people in your new home city of Dublin, you don’t have to worry. Life in Ireland is relaxed and enjoyable, and the Irish are warm, friendly and welcoming people. Visiting the local pub is one of the best ways to meet new people and you’ll without a doubt be able to easily spark up some enjoyable conversation. The pub is a way of life and a social hub for the community, and Dublin alone has more than 1,000 pubs!

If you enjoy the theatre and music, you’re also in luck – this is a big part of Irish culture. Drama and storytelling go back centuries within Irish tradition, and you’ll find many wonderful performances of all types at the Abbey Theatre.

In general, Ireland has a good public transportation structure in place. Like most countries, cities and surrounding areas are best serviced, and more rural areas are less so. Dublin has plenty of options when it comes to mass transit.

Dublin Bus offers a wide and efficient service for the population, offering transport to every part of the city. Tickets can be purchased online, at the Dublin Airport, the head bus office or at bus ticket agents. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket as you board the bus, but you’ll need exact change for this. There’s also a Nitelink service that runs Friday and Saturday nights.

Trains are another reliable option in Dublin, and apart from the DART, you can use Dublin’s light rail service, Luas. It’s worth noting that Leap Cards, contactless smart cards used for travel fare, can be used on busses, DART and Luas. A Leap Card app is available on iPhone and Android smartphones.