Ireland
Profiled in Dublin · Western and Southern Europe
Dublin runs on wit, rain and river light, a small capital where a global tech hub and old pub culture share the same cobbled streets.
Cost of living
What a month costs
Housing is the pain point, everything else is manageable.
The scores
How it rates for a moving family
See and do
Top 10 in Dublin
- Trinity College and the Book of KellsIreland's oldest university and its jaw-dropping Long Room library.
- Guinness StorehouseSeven floors of stout history topped by a 360-degree Gravity Bar.
- Kilmainham GaolGrim, moving prison museum central to the story of Irish independence.
- St Patrick's CathedralThe largest church in Ireland, once home to Jonathan Swift.
- Dublin CastleNine centuries of power at the historic heart of the city.
- National Museum of IrelandIron Age bog bodies and dazzling Celtic gold, and free to enter.
- Phoenix ParkOne of Europe's largest walled city parks, with roaming wild deer.
- Temple BarCobbled riverside quarter packed with pubs, galleries and street music.
- Ha'penny BridgeThe graceful cast-iron footbridge that has crossed the Liffey since 1816.
- Chester Beatty LibraryA world-class collection of manuscripts and sacred texts, tucked behind the Castle.
Where to go
Weekend escapes
- GlendaloughWicklow valley with a monastic ruin and two glassy lakes, an hour south.
- HowthFishing village on a headland with a cliff loop and fresh seafood, reachable by DART.
- GalwayBohemian west-coast city of trad music and Atlantic light, about two and a half hours across.
- KilkennyMedieval town with a castle and a walkable craft trail, ninety minutes southwest.
- BelfastNorthern Ireland's capital, Titanic history and Cathedral Quarter, two hours by train.
Coffee
Best cafes
- Bewley's Grafton StreetA grand old Dublin institution with stained glass and strong coffee.
- 3feThe specialty roaster that reshaped how the city drinks coffee.
- Clement & PekoeWarm Grafton-side spot with serious tea and single-origin beans.
- KaphMinimalist favourite on Drury Street pulling precise flat whites.
- Bald BaristaFriendly Aussie-style cafe near Camden Street with a loyal following.
Restaurants
Where to eat
- The Winding StairModern Irish cooking above a bookshop with Ha'penny Bridge views.
- Chapter OneMichelin-starred fine dining in a Georgian basement, a special-night classic.
- The Pig's EarRefined Irish plates overlooking the Trinity playing fields.
- EttoTiny, brilliant wine bar and restaurant doing Italian-leaning small plates.
- Fade Street SocialDylan McGrath's buzzy spot for gastro tapas and a lively bar.
- KlawNo-frills Temple Bar crab shack for oysters and lobster rolls.
- YamamoriLong-running Japanese favourite for ramen and sushi on South Great George's Street.
Morning
Best breakfast
- The FumballyAiry Liberties cafe famed for its long lazy weekend brunch.
- Brother HubbardCapel Street brunch star with Middle Eastern twists and great baking.
- Bibi's CafeBeloved Portobello brunch room with hearty, colourful plates.
- Two Pups CoffeeWarm neighbourhood spot in the Liberties doing eggs and good coffee.
- Gerry'sOld-school Dun Laoghaire caff for a proper, honest full Irish fry.
- Network CafeAungier Street favourite pairing brunch classics with top coffee.
- Metro CafeReliable South William Street perch for breakfast and people-watching.
- FeatherbladeSteak spot that also lays on a hearty weekend brunch off Dawson Street.
- Bald BaristaCamden-side cafe cracking out big breakfasts and flat whites.
Residency
EU and EEA citizens can move to Dublin freely and simply register once settled. Everyone else usually needs a job offer with a work permit, a study place, or the investor and Startup Entrepreneur routes, then registers for an IRP card, with citizenship possible after five years of legal residence.
Tax
Ireland taxes residents on worldwide income at 20 and 40 percent, plus USC and PRSI, so effective rates run high. New arrivals who are non-domiciled can use the remittance basis to shelter foreign income and gains kept offshore, a valuable planning point worth structuring early.
Thinking about moving here for real? See the verified Ireland residency and citizenship routes →
Curious what you would actually pay? See the Ireland tax profile: income, corporate, VAT and exit rules →
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