City comparison
Dublin vs Amsterdam: which is better to live in?
Quick verdict
Amsterdam is the cheaper of the two: our estimate for a single person is about €150 a month less than Dublin, mostly because of rent. Dublin has the milder winter (about 8°C vs 7°C average highs in Dec to Feb). They’re in different countries, so visa routes, taxes and healthcare differ too: see below.
Choose Dublin for
- Nature & green space
- Mountains nearby
Choose Amsterdam for
- Safety
- Walkability
- Public transport
- Culture
- Lower living costs
Dublin vs Amsterdam at a glance
| Dublin | Amsterdam | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Ireland | Netherlands |
| Single budget / month | €3,250 | €3,100 |
| Couple budget / month | €4,600 | €4,500 |
| 1-bed rent, center | €2,000 | €1,900 |
| Winter highs (Dec to Feb) | 8°C / 47°F | 7°C / 44°F |
| Summer highs (Jun to Aug) | 19°C / 66°F | 22°C / 71°F |
| Sunshine (hours/yr) | 1,470 | 1,780 |
| City size | Capital / metropolis | Capital / metropolis |
| Coastal | Yes | No |
| Direct flights to the US | Yes | Yes |
| Affordability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Sunny, warm climate | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| English-friendliness | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Safety | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Walkability | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Public transport | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nature & green space | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Beach life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Mountains nearby | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Culture | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Nightlife | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Family life | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Remote-work scene | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Expat community | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Flights home | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
| Calm, slower pace | ●●●●● | ●●●●● |
Cost of living: Dublin or Amsterdam?
By our estimates, a comfortable mid-range life costs about €3,250 a month for one person in Dublin and €3,100 in Amsterdam, rent included. For a couple it’s €4,600 vs €4,500, and for a family of four €5,800 vs €5,850.
Rent drives most of the gap: a one-bedroom in the center runs about €2,000 in Dublin against €1,900 in Amsterdam, while a monthly transit pass costs €100 vs €100. Want to plug in your own lifestyle? Use the cost of living calculator.
Climate and weather
Winters average highs of about 8°C (47°F) in Dublin and 7°C (44°F) in Amsterdam. In summer it’s roughly 19°C vs 22°C. Dublin gets about 1,470 hours of sunshine a year and Amsterdam about 1,780.
1,470 hours of sunshine a year · 773 mm of rain a year · Source: Met Eireann 1991-2020 normals (Dublin Airport), via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8°C / 46°F | 2°C / 36°F |
| Feb | 9°C / 47°F | 2°C / 36°F |
| Mar | 10°C / 50°F | 3°C / 37°F |
| Apr | 12°C / 54°F | 4°C / 39°F |
| May | 15°C / 59°F | 7°C / 44°F |
| Jun | 18°C / 64°F | 9°C / 48°F |
| Jul | 20°C / 67°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Aug | 19°C / 66°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Sep | 17°C / 62°F | 10°C / 49°F |
| Oct | 14°C / 56°F | 7°C / 45°F |
| Nov | 10°C / 51°F | 4°C / 40°F |
| Dec | 8°C / 47°F | 3°C / 37°F |
1,780 hours of sunshine a year · 850 mm of rain a year · Source: KNMI 1991-2020 normals (Amsterdam Schiphol), via the Wikipedia climate table
Monthly temperatures in °C and °F
| Month | Avg high | Avg low |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6°C / 43°F | 1°C / 34°F |
| Feb | 7°C / 44°F | 1°C / 34°F |
| Mar | 10°C / 50°F | 3°C / 37°F |
| Apr | 14°C / 58°F | 5°C / 41°F |
| May | 18°C / 64°F | 9°C / 47°F |
| Jun | 20°C / 69°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Jul | 23°C / 73°F | 14°C / 56°F |
| Aug | 22°C / 72°F | 13°C / 56°F |
| Sep | 19°C / 67°F | 11°C / 52°F |
| Oct | 15°C / 58°F | 8°C / 46°F |
| Nov | 10°C / 50°F | 5°C / 40°F |
| Dec | 7°C / 44°F | 2°C / 35°F |
Daily life
Dublin is a capital / metropolis on the coast; Amsterdam is a capital / metropolis. Dublin is the easiest big European city for English speakers, with a deep tech and finance job market and direct flights to the US. It is also among the priciest places to rent in our set, so the real question is whether your income can carry the housing. Amsterdam is the most international city in our set: English works nearly everywhere, the cycling is easy, and Schiphol connects you to almost anywhere. The cost is housing: rent is among the highest we cover and finding a flat is competitive.
Living in Dublin: the upsides and downsides
- English is the everyday language, so paperwork and small talk are easy
- Large US tech, pharma and finance employers and a Critical Skills permit route
- Direct flights to many US cities and US pre-clearance at the airport
- Downside: Rents and housing scarcity are the biggest day-to-day problem
- Downside: Wet, grey, mild weather with relatively few sunshine hours
Living in Amsterdam: the upsides and downsides
- English works in shops, offices and most municipal services
- Flat, bike-first, compact
- Schiphol nonstops to many US and Canadian cities
- Downside: Rent and housing scarcity, with long waits for mid-priced rentals
- Downside: Rainy, windy, mild weather with limited sunshine
Visas and residency
Dublin is in Ireland and Amsterdam is in Netherlands. The main routes for each:
- Ireland Citizenship by Descent (Foreign Births Register) - Citizenship by descent, open
- Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit - Work permit, open, €3,409/mo income
- Netherlands DAFT Visa (Dutch American Friendship Treaty) - Entrepreneur route, open, €4,500 investment
- Netherlands Highly Skilled Migrant Permit - Work permit, open, €5,942/mo income
Read the full guides: living in Dublin and living in Amsterdam.
Related comparisons
- Dublin vs Cork
- Amsterdam vs Rotterdam
- Berlin vs Amsterdam
- Berlin vs Dublin
- Amsterdam vs Cork
- Amsterdam vs Geneva
- Amsterdam vs Munich
- Amsterdam vs Zurich
Costs are our estimates for a comfortable mid-range lifestyle; scores are editorial, relative to the 40 cities we cover. Methodology.