Ireland is a Great Place for Expats
Contributing Author: Sixtina Alwardt
Why Ireland is Great for Expats
Ireland is home to so much more than just green grass, cows and beer. It is also home to many expats from around the world. Below are 5 reasons, why Ireland is a great place for expats.
Easy to Make Friends
I have to say, I did not expect such welcoming, super polite and warm-hearted people in Ireland. When I moved here, strangers talked to me on the streets, helped me out when I looked lost (even though I did not ask for help), happily taught me about Irish history and so on.
It is super easy to connect with locals here and make friends. They are very open to foreigners and love to find out more about your personal story.
Country of Discovery - Amazing Nature
I have to say that Ireland, within Europe, belongs to my top 5 destinations as you can discover the most beautiful landscapes. Be it cliffs, waterfalls, national parks, rivers, mountains or anything else. Simply rent a car and drive, even if you don’t know where. Just follow any road.
Discovering amazing nature is definitely one reason why you should live in Ireland. To get some ideas of where to go, you can read my posts about the cliffs at Old Head and Ring of Kerry.
Fun Pub Culture & Big Variety of Beers
Another reason why Ireland is a great place to live as an expat is the fun pub culture and its big variety of beers. There is a beer for everyone’s taste, be it bitter, sweet, not sweet, sour etc. There are mainly three types: Blond, Ale and Stout (dark) beer. Those are just enough options to make a good choice.
Whenever you don’t know what to do, just get yourself to a nearby pub, even if it is a Sunday or Monday evening and enjoy live music, live shows and beer. Watch my video “How to spend 24h in Cork“ in order to get an impression of Irish pub culture and find out about local beers.
No Language Barrier
Since English is the Native language of the country, you will have no problems at all to get around. However, you might struggle a bit with the Irish accent at the beginning and learn lots of funny, new expressions they use, such as „What’s the craic?“.
Taxes and Big Companies
One benefit of living in Ireland as an expat is that many big companies have their headquarters here. So it should not be a problem to find a job in Ireland. Of course, it depends on your standards, but it is easily possible, especially if you speak multiple languages.
Another benefits is the tax system (at least compared to my home country Germany). To put it simple, let’s say you earn 100k per year. In Germany, you would pay the highest tax rate on the 100k. In Ireland, it works a bit different. You would pay a lower tax rate on a certain amount, for example 20% on up to 35k, and then only pay the highest tax rate on the remaining amount, for example 40% on 65k. This way, you have much more money netto to spend and enjoy life, plus all other benefits big companies offer you.
