Ireland

Northern Europe

EuropeEU

English-speaking EU member and the European HQ of choice for global tech, with a famous 12.5% corporate rate, but a high cost of living and acute housing shortage.

79
Overall score
Good · 97% data coverage
Language
English
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
20% / 40% + USC + PRSI
Cost of living
€2,300 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
81
Access
17%
81Residence12%
80Citizenship and passport5%
77
Earning power
25%
79Salary and work12%
76Buying power13%
67
Business and wealth
20%
58Taxes7%
86Business8%
51Investment5%
84
Daily life
25%
85Quality of life18%
81Education7%
95
Rights and institutions
13%
97Freedom6%
93Rule of law7%

Pros

  • English-speaking EU
  • 12.5% corporate tax
  • Easy ancestry citizenship route

Cons

  • Severe housing crisis
  • High personal taxes
  • Not in Schengen

Best for

Founders & multinationalsEnglish speakersPeople of Irish descent

Score profile

Access
Residence
81
Citizenship
74
Passport
95
Earning power
Salary & work
79
Buying power
76
Cost of living
27
Economy
90
Business and wealth
Taxes
58
Personal tax
27
Corporate tax
64
Business
86
Investment
51
Wealth building
63
Daily life
Safety
84
Healthcare
89
Environment
96
Infrastructure
81
Education
81
HDI
95
Rights and institutions
Freedom
97
Rule of law
93
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Excellent
81
Migrant stock23.1% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Critical Skills PermitGeneral Employment PermitSTEP startupStamp 0/4
StudentStamp 2; 20 hrs/week term-time, 40 hrs in holidays.
WorkCritical Skills Permit fast-tracks to Stamp 4 after 2 years.
Self-employedStart-up Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) needs €50k funding.
PermanentLong-term residence (Stamp 4) after ~5 years legal stay.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Good
74
Years required5 (of last 9, incl. 1 continuous)
Dual allowedYes
LanguageNone
Residence5 reckonable years; citizenship by descent if a grandparent was Irish
NotesForeign Births Register lets those with an Irish grandparent claim citizenship without residing.
Passport
Passport power
Excellent
95
189 / 198
Mobility
#6
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free142
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required9

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Good
79
Output per worker$234,913 PPP (2024)
Unemployment4.6% (2025)
Participation64.8% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$4,109 · $4,305 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$8,163 · $8,551 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceStrong contracting around Dublin's tech cluster
Job marketGoogle, Meta, Stripe, Microsoft EU bases; English-only roles common.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
76
GNI / person$106,310 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$28,080 PPP (2023)
Price level102 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality29.0 Gini (2023)
Inflation2.2% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Low
27
Price level102 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent€1,800–2,600 (1BR Dublin)
Monthly€2,300
CitiesDublin, Cork, Galway
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
90
Output & income
GDP$721.7B (2025)
GDP / person$131,592 (2025)
GNI / person$106,310 PPP (2025)
GDP growth2.6% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation2.2% / yr (2025)
Unemployment4.6% (2025)
Output per worker$234,913 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture1.1% of GDP (2025)
Industry37.8% of GDP (2025)
Services56.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Pharmaceuticals & medtechInformation technologyFinancial servicesFood & agribusiness
Top exports
PharmaceuticalsMedical devicesSoftware & IT servicesChemicals
TypeHigh-income, services- and FDI-led
Key sectorsMultinational tech & pharma hubs, Aircraft leasing, Agri-food
SummaryA small, open economy and major hub for US multinationals in tech, pharma and finance.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Moderate
58
Personal20% then 40%, plus USC (up to 8%) and PRSI (4%)
Corporate12.5% trading income; 15% top-up for large MNEs (Pillar Two)
Capital gains33%
DividendsTaxed at marginal rate + USC/PRSI
Exit taxYes: deemed disposal on emigration for certain assets
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply since 2019
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
27
Personal20% then 40%, plus USC (up to 8%) and PRSI (4%)
FreelanceSole trader registration simple; contracting market strong
Capital gains33%
DividendsTaxed at marginal rate + USC/PRSI
Exit taxYes: deemed disposal on emigration for certain assets
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Moderate
64
Corporate12.5% trading income; 15% top-up for large MNEs (Pillar Two)
Capital gains33%
DividendsTaxed at marginal rate + USC/PRSI
Foreign companiesCFC rules apply since 2019
Business
Business friendliness
Excellent
86
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.61 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyYes: 100% foreign ownership permitted
Local companyPrivate LTD in days; one EEA-resident director or a bond
FreelanceSole trader registration simple; contracting market strong
Investment
Investing environment
Moderate
51
Market cap28% of GDP (2018)
Private credit24% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains33% CGT; €1,270 annual exemption; 41% 'deemed disposal' on ETFs every 8 yrs
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxNone
BrokersGood: DEGIRO, Interactive Brokers, Trade Republic
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
63
Salary & work
Good
79
Business
Excellent
86
Investment
Moderate
51
Tax friendliness
Moderate
58
Cost of living
Low
27

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Excellent
84
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.7 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption1.57 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.71 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
89
Outcomes
Life expectancy83.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.9 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians3.88 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds2.96 per 1,000 (2023)
Health spending$8,772 PPP / person (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic (HSE) + large private sector
InsurancePublic access for residents; private insurance common for speed
Average cost€1,200–2,000 / yr private cover
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
96
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure7.5 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress8.1% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
81
Digital infrastructure
Internet use97.2% (2024)
Internet resilience76 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed89 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed66 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses8.2% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.50 / 5 (2022)
Rail density24.0 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity202,139 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
81
Attainment
Expected schooling19.2 years (2023)
Mean schooling11.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment78% gross (2022)
Education spending2.9% of GDP (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition€3,000 (EU 'free fees') – €25,000 (non-EU)
Public universityEU students pay the ~€3,000 student contribution
LanguagesEnglish
Student work20 hrs/week during term, 40 hrs in holidays
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
95
HDI0.949 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy82.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling19.2 years (2023)
Mean schooling11.7 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$90,885 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
97
Freedom in the World97 / 100 (Free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
93
Rule of Law percentile93 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
Irish Citizenship: INISirishimmigration.ieRevenue: Tax & Dutyrevenue.ieForeign Births Registerdfa.ieUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Ireland visa & immigrationgoogle.comIreland tax residency rulesgoogle.comIreland citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Irelandgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.