Dublin City Guide

If you’re considering relocating to Dublin, its high living costs are usually considered well worth it for the beauty of the historic city that boasts 130 different rivers, and simply stunning architecture. 

The arrival of Big Tech has definitely changed Dublin in recent years. It’s now home to many global players within the tech industry and to places like DogPatch Labs which is a start-up hub, that exists to accelerate Ireland’s start-up ecosystem, feeding the pipeline for up-and-coming tech businesses. 

Housing 

Securing accommodation in Dublin can be a bit of a challenge as a result of the exponential increase in jobs that large tech players have brought to the city in recent years. 

Dublin offers a vibrant centre, upmarket suburbs and seaside neighbourhoods, so the first challenge when looking for accommodation in Dublin will be deciding what sort of lifestyle you’re looking for. 

If you’re considering getting the Luas (tram) to work, you’ll get lower property prices on the Red Line side of Dublin, than you will in nearer to the Green Line. 

High-end neighbourhoods include Ranelagh and Clontarf, which are around a 10-minute walk to the centre of Dublin. These areas also have a vibrant nightlife, so plenty of places to soak up the craic. 

If you’re relocating with a family, check out Ballsbridge and Donnybrook for more open spaces, and quieter neighbourhoods. Ballsbridge is just a ten-minute car journey from Dublin city centre, and Donnybrook is a slightly more adventurous 17 minutes by car.  

When choosing where to live, bear in mind that the city is divided into North and South by the River Liffey. The city is divided into districts (think London underground zones) whereby the further from the centre you get, the higher the district number.  

Renting a one-bedroom apartment in the centre of Dublin will set you back, on average €1,649 a month.  To keep costs a little lower, opt for a place in the suburbs where the average one-bed apartment will cost around €1376 per month. 

If you’re moving with a family or want a spare bedroom for guests, a city centre three-bed apartment will cost around €3004, whereas out in the suburbs you can expect to pay €2286. 

If you’re keen to get a foot on the Irish housing ladder, you’ll be needing a budget of around €5484. per metre2 in the City Centre or €3995 in the suburbs. The average house price in Dublin has risen steeply since the Covid-19 pandemic, and now sits at €396,000, compared to a national average of €284,000

If you are looking to buy in Dublin you’ll need a deposit of around 10% if you’re a first-time buyer, but if you’re looking to move up the property ladder, you’ll be looking at a deposit of around 20% of the property price.  You can expect to borrow around 3.5 times your income, or if living within another earner, your combined income. 

Visa requirements 

UK citizens do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), UK and Irish citizens can live and work freely in each other's countries and travel freely between them.

With regards to international visas, the requirements for the Visa will depend on where you are relocating from, but you can find out more on the  Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service website which also includes links to the visa forms for different nationalities. 

The Cost of Living in Dublin  

The cost of living in Dublin is around 1.7% less expensive than the cost of living in London if we exclude rent. Rent itself is around 12.29% lower in Dublin than in London.  

An estimated cost of living in Dublin for a family of four is around €3253 per month, excluding rent. 

You’ll need to budget around €155 per month for basic utility bills for an 85m2 apartment and around €51 per month for internet of around 60MBPS or more.  and if you have to pay for childcare, full time-childcare will set you back around €1056 a month. 

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant will set you back around €15.5 per person, whilst a McDonald’s meal or something similar will cost around €8.75 per person. A beer will cost around €5-6 whereas a bottle of vino for your Friday night will cost around €11.00.

A loaf of bread to set you back €1.43, whilst a litre of milk in Dublin costs about €1.05. 

Salaries in Dublin 

With technology skills in high demand the average salary for a graduate semiconductor engineer in Dublin is around €40,000 and an engineer with 10+ years’ experience can command a salary up to €90,000. A Software engineer could expect to be on a salary of around €48,000 whilst a project manager in Dublin could command up to €53,000. Many large companies in Dublin will offer employees a travel card to help with getting around the city and for those who either don’t want to or can’t afford to live in Dublin city. 

Commuting and Public Transport around Dublin

Public transport in Dublin gives you plenty of options when it comes to getting around. There’s the Luas (the Dublin tram system) that crosses Dublin and you can purchase tickets from vending machines on the street. The Red Line goes from Tallaght in the west to Point Village, Saggart or Connolly Station, and the Green Line runs from Broombridge through Ranelagh and Dundrum to Brides’ Glen in the South. 

If you wanted a little more freedom, Dublin is home to over 120Km of cycle lanes and a city bikes scheme where you can borrow a bike for your journey. 

Of course, for something a little more traditional, you can always choose to get around by car. 

Schools 

Most children in Ireland start school in the September following their 4th birthday, but it’s only compulsory from the ages of six to 16, or until they have completed three years of second-level education. In Dublin, you can find both English speaking schools and Irish speaking schools, according to your primary language.

Education is available free of charge to all children aged between 4 or 5 and 16 in Dublin, although for those who wish to pay for smaller class sizes or different teaching provision, private schools are available. Private schools cost between €6,000 and €8,000 per year. 

Education in Ireland is made up of First Level education, Second level education and third level education. 

First level education is primary education. Many primary schools in Ireland are privately owned by religious communities or boards of governors and are state-funded.

Students usually start the second level cycle at the age of 12. Second Level education involves a 3-year junior cycle, then following Junior certificate, a 2 or 3-year senior cycle. Whether 2 years or 3 are taken, depends on whether an optional transition year is taken after the junior cycle examination (JCPA).       

In their last 2 years of the senior cycle, students choose one of 3 programmes which each lead to a state examination. The route they choose will depend on where they hope to go after. 

If students choose to go on to University, they’ll then move into third-level education. 

Global technology companies in Dublin 

Dublin is home to over 2,200 start-ups, and ranks 8th in the European Digital City Index (that’s higher the Milan, Barcelona or even Vienna). 

The Silicon Docks is the area of Dublin where you can’t move for big-name global tech companies. The boom of these companies in recent years has been substantial. Dublin is now home to Google, Facebook, Accenture, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Squarespace, Ding, Intercom Adobe, Cisco, SAP, Cadence, Infineon, Datalex, Citrix Systems Ireland, Logmein, Twitter, Microsoft, Linkedin and so many more.

Much of the appeal of Dublin comes from the Irish government’s support of tech start-ups and entrepreneurs including Endura Technologies and Workvivo.

In your spare time 

Dublin is deeply rooted in history, culture and nightlife, so you can find something for everyone. Stunning day trips are easy, with Dublin perched right on the coast, and the city is crammed full of Irish bars and restaurants so you can sample the craic. 

You can even have a drink inside The Church, one of Dublin’s most iconic bars, with a nightclub below.  The Guinness Storehouse factory is right on your doorstep too, so for about €18, you can take a look at the history of the iconic drink and how it’s meticulously crafted to frothy perfection. Or, if whisky is more your thing, there’s the Jameson Distillery. 

For more sober sightseeing, the St Patrick’s Cathedral makes a spectacular day out, or you can step back in time at Dublin Castle. 

Click here to view all our jobs or, if you would like to discuss opportunities in Dublin or a potential career move, please contact me rachel.mason@ic-resources.com.