Why you should not move to Ireland

For many people from different countries, Ireland is a country where they would like to live for a while or even forever. Beautiful landscapes, low taxes for business people, cosy pubs and live music. People also come to Ireland for professional reasons, because many large companies have their headquarters in Ireland’s capital Dublin.

But is the hype justified? Are there really only advantages to leaving your home country and emigrating to Ireland? No! We took a look behind the scenes and tell you 10 reasons why you should not move to Ireland.

1) Accommodation is quite expensive – and hard to find

To be honest, you hear the myth “the rents here are too expensive” from almost every big city in the world. That may mean more or less in different places. In Dublin, however, this myth is the bitter truth. Almost everyone you ask about the housing situation will answer “I had a lot of trouble finding accommodation and now I’m paying 750 euros for a tiny room”. And a tiny room can mean a shared bedroom, where you sleep in the same room with others. So once you’ve found affordable accommodation that meets your needs – keep it. 

Another risk in terms of finding accommodation is that many people come to Ireland because of a job offer. They have already signed their employment contract before they realise that it is almost impossible to find suitable accommodation. This is a risk that should not be underestimated. Even if the salary sounds good at first, you should take into account that maybe half of it is spent on rent. 

2) Eating and drinking out will also put a hole in your wallet

To reward yourself and have dinner in a good restaurant and then maybe move on to a pub to enjoy a few Guinness or beer, that’s soul food. But this soul food has its price. Assuming that you go for a pizza and a pint afterwards, you can calculate with at least 20 Euro. Of course it depends on where you head for your treats. In The Temple Bar pub a pint of Guinness costs €7.60 and €7.90 after 12pm. 

But it’s not that expensive everywhere. If you go to Camden Street for a pint at The Bleeding Horse a Guinness costs €5.50, which is more than €2.00 cheaper than in Temple Bar. However – you usually pay more for drinking and eating out than in other countries. And especially for students who don’t earn that much money but want to go out at the same time, the prices can be a pain in the ass. 

• 4 great and easy dinner ideas to prepare on a budget

3) Public transport

In a big city like Dublin – hang on – in a capital, you might think it’s easy to get around by bus and train very quickly and easily. But unfortunately, not in Dublin. Even if there are many buses and bus stops almost every 100 metres, that doesn’t mean you’re fast.

It sometimes happens that the bus doesn’t come at all and you have to wait like half an hour until the next one arrives. But once you’re on the bus, it can take you a whole 20 minutes to go a kilometre. Especially during rush hour. Then you’re actually faster when you walk. Also, many bus lines don’t run at night, so you’ll have to take a taxi anyway. 

The two train lines “Dart” and “Luas” run more reliably, but many parts of Dublin are not connected to them at all. This can be annoying. 

• Cycling in Dublin – The best way to move

4) Healthcare System

Health insurance should be a familiar concept to most people. A certain amount is deducted from your salary each month or you pay it privately and can then be treated by most doctors free of charge. But this is not the way it works here. Ireland charges an amount for visits to the doctors. If you go to the doctor with minor complaints, you may have to pay 50€ or more. Whether this makes sense is questionable. Some people may not go to the doctor because they don’t have enough money. And so serious diseases might remain undetected.

5) The weather – always be prepared for any case of it

If you’re used to warm, consistent weather, Ireland can be quite disappointing. Even in May, it usually cools down so much, especially in the evenings, that you still have to wear your winter coat. But it’s not just that the temperatures are lower than in other countries, the weather is also more changeable. When the sun shines in the morning, it can suddenly rain in torrents a short time later. So always be prepared to have clothes for all eventualities. And best of all, suncream too. And sunglasses. Oh…and an umbrella.

• 4 Fantastic day trips on a rainy day in Dublin

Think twice before moving to Ireland 

After reading this article, are you still considering moving to Ireland? Think twice. There are countries where life might be more suitable for you. What are your experiences, which countries do you recommend or advise against? Feel free to leave a comment.