🇮🇪 Ireland
Moving to Dublin
Dublin has the tightest housing market of any English-speaking capital, and it shows: open viewings draw queues down the street and applications are decided the same evening. That scarcity has also made it the most heavily targeted city in Europe for rental fraud. Two habits protect you — never pay before viewing, and check the tenancy against the public RTB register.
- Visit
- €49
- Starter
- €649
- Premium
- €1,450
Queues at viewings, and the most active rental fraud in Western Europe. Verify the RTB registration.
Where to live
Neighbourhoods in Dublin
Rathmines & Ranelagh
Young professionalsThe traditional first stop: walkable to the centre, red-brick, and a large flat-share market.
Stoneybatter
Couples, creativesNorth of the river, small terraced streets, genuine village feel, and closer in than it looks.
Portobello & Grand Canal
ProfessionalsCanal side, central, near the tech offices, and priced for the convenience.
Dún Laoghaire
Families, value seekersOn the DART, by the sea, more space, and a commute that is actually pleasant.
Drumcondra & Phibsborough
Students, young professionalsThe north side between the canal and DCU: red-brick terraces, Croke Park and the Mater hospital, the Luas green line in Phibsborough, and the shortest bus run to the airport. Rents sit a step below the south-side equivalents.
What it costs to rent
Indicative rents
Monthly, often furnished, excluding bills and management charges. Checked against Daft.ie's 2026 rental reports, which put city-centre one-beds at roughly €1,800 to €2,500 with supply at a record low.
- One-bed, city centre€1,900 – €2,500
- One-bed, outer suburbs€1,500 – €1,900
- Room in a shared house€900 – €1,300
Indicative only · last checked · your Insider confirms before you commit.
What catches people out
The most-run scam in Europe
A landlord in another country, a flat below market rate, and a deposit requested to secure a viewing. Dublin's shortage makes people override their instincts. Do not.
Check the RTB register
Tenancies must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. The register is searchable and confirms the tenancy and the landlord are real.
Rent increases are capped nationally
Since 1 March 2026 Rent Pressure Zones have been replaced by national rent control: an increase can come once a year and by no more than 2 per cent or inflation, whichever is lower. If a renewal quote looks steep, run the RTB's rent calculator before you agree to it.
After the keys
The admin that follows a move
On Premium, your Insider does this with you rather than sending you a checklist.
How long a move to Dublin takes. Six to eight weeks. Expect to attend many viewings and apply immediately.
- Step 1
PPS number
Ireland's personal public service number, needed for work, tax and public services. Apply on arrival with proof of address.
- Step 2
Bank account
Banks want proof of address, which needs a tenancy, which sometimes wants a bank account. A signed lease or an employer letter usually breaks the loop.
- Step 3
Utilities
Electricity and gas are supplier-switchable and prices vary; the standing charge matters as much as the unit rate.
- Step 4
Deposit protection
Ireland has no statutory deposit scheme, so the tenancy registration and a properly documented inventory are what protect you. Photograph everything.
LanguageEnglish throughout. Your Insider works with you in English and negotiates on your behalf in whatever the lease is written in.
Relocation tools
Plan the move to Dublin
Small tools built on this guide: what a month costs, the steps in order, what to pack and what to do when you land. Indicative figures, in the local currency.
- Cost calculatorA month in the city, three ways, in the local currency.Open
- Visa timelineYour route, step by step, with how long each part takes.Open
- Neighbourhood matchmakerFour questions, one neighbourhood, and what a one-bed costs there.Open
- Packing listA checklist for this city and the season you land in.Open
- First 48 hoursWhat to do first after landing, in the order that works.Open
- Local appsThe phone setup that runs daily life, and what each replaces.Open
- Dish finderWhat to order, by time of day, and what it is called.Open
- Weekend getawaysEasy escapes, by travel time and how you get there.Open
Pricing for Dublin
What a move to Dublin costs
These are the fees in Dublin, published before you start, in euros. No commission on your rent, no percentage of the lease, no success fee.
Visit
Your Insider visits for you€49single · €99 pack of 3- In-person visit by a local Insider
- Video walkthrough
- Area report
- Scam check
- Most popular
Starter
Full home search€649flat fee · Dublin- Personal shortlist
- Viewings with video
- Lease negotiation & review
- Handover & keys
- 50% to start, 50% at the keys
Premium
Home search + full setup€1,450flat fee · Dublin- Everything in Starter
- Bank, SIM & registration
- Utilities & internet
- Healthcare & school search
- First-week orientation
The full guide
Five deep dives for someone arriving, not visiting
- Housing The tightest market in the English-speaking world, decided at open viewings within hours, with no deposit protection scheme and a large amount of fraud aimed at people searching from abroad.
- Paperwork A PPS number, a Revenue registration and an address you can prove — done in that order, in English, and quicker than most of Europe once the proof-of-address problem is solved.
- Healthcare No free GP care for most adults, a two-tier system where private insurance buys speed rather than better medicine, and a hard rule about joining insurance before you turn 35.
- Schools Free state education from primary to Leaving Certificate, mostly under religious patronage, allocated by each school's own admissions policy — and childcare costs more than school ever will.
- Getting around One Leap card across bus, tram and rail with a daily and weekly fare cap, no rail link to the airport, and a driving-licence exchange rule that catches out anyone from outside the EU.
On the ground
Alfred, Antoine, Capu, Eva, Nico — the people behind Insidoor.
Every Insider lives in their city and holds a verified ID. We match you on language and on who is coming with you.
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