Martinw02

Hi.

I was hoping for some guidance re a possible move to Ireland. We've just moved back to the UK from Oz after 15 years. We were going to give France a go, but got put off by the bureaucracy. We're now living in a pretty Devon costal town. My wife is Irish, I'm a Brit, and my son is Australian but would be entitled to an Irish passport.

We have two choices - stay in the UK and work, or possibly retire to Ireland (the cost of property being the key differential). However, reading a number of posts it's a bit difficult to get an objective view on the situation and affordability in Ireland. So my question is, are the assumptions below reasonable on an income of (net after tax) 2300e ? There are 3 of us including my wife and 5-year-old son.

Buy a 2-bed semi-rural property in Wexford or Wicklow e130,000 (no mortgage to pay) - THere appears to be a decent selection of semi-rural properties that fit this description, but would 130k be enough to buy something in good order in a pleasant setting, or are the houses for 130k holes in the middle of nowhere or in a blighted area?

Monthly costs

Car Insurance 100
Car Tax 50
Water 0
Gas (2 bed) 50
Electric 50
Groceries 516
Sky 30
Broadband 20
Health Ins. 100
Telephone 20
Insurance (house) 25
Council Tax 0
Car Maintenance 50
Petrol 20

Total: 1031


That leaves us about 1250 Euro a month for savings/rainy-day money, clothes and entertainment. I'd be interested to know if you think this compares with local wages.

Thanks in advance, Martin.

Joe-Soap

You are unrealistic.
Less than 130,000 Euro will buy you a good house in the area you desire.
Your living costs would be 50-60% higher.
2300 Euro per month would not be enough for 2 adults and a child to live on in my opinion.
Car tax, fuel, insurance alone are much more expensive than your estimates.
You will find food and drink much more expensive.
The other main expense is private health insurance for your family. There is no NHS here and prescriptions are very expensive. A GP visit typically costs 50 Euro.
I think realistically you would need a minimum of 3,000 Euro per month income.
That would mean both of you working and paying for child care.

Martinw02

Hi Sean,

Thanks for your response - Just to clarify; I did include health insurance in my estimates (100 per month). Also, petrol is low as we would only be trundling to the shops/school and back. Other trips would come out of the leisure budget.

In my monthly budget, I've allowed car tax of e50, that's 600 a year (i've a little 1.6L Toyota), Car insurance of 100 per month (1200 per year), household insurance 300 per year and heating/electric 1200 per year. Are these way off the mark?

Cheers, Martin.

sickntired

Car tax is spot on
Car insurance is way lower than that, I'm 53 and mine is €350 fully comp.
Home insurance is about right.
Heating / electric depends on size of house and what fuel you use. Maybe €1500 is more realistic, ie 2 tonnes of smokeless fuel €750, electric €700.
Health Insurance will be high, 2 adults 1 child will be over double your estimate.

sickntired

Forgot to add that water charges and property tax are on the way. That could well ad another €1000 per year as guestimate.

Martinw02

Thanks. What do you think of the 2,300 per month? Do-able, or more like the 3k Sean suggested?

Mitzyboy

Wow, it must be a hugely expensive place to live then
People here living (existing) on a State Pension which as we all know is pretty crap

Cuthbert Rizla

Where is the income coming from if you don't mind me asking.

Martinw02

I have a couple of rental properties in the UK, plus I'd use the proceeds from the sale of my UK home to fund the UK100k for a house in Ireland, and then buy a couple more rentals with the remainder.

sickntired

After all is covered and you still have €300 a week to spend on clothes and entertainment - it depends if you want Marks & Spencer clothes or Gucci. Do you quaff bottles of Dom Perignon or pints of Guinness ? For me it is well doable as I only spend about €100 a week on entertaining myself.

I think you should manage well enough.

Cuthbert Rizla

In that case it's very doable.
I've a feeling property prices haven't that much more to fall but I'd still be in no hurry to buy because there has never been a buyer's market like this one - I'm in the process of picking up an absolute steal from NAMA and I can tell you there are plenty of people around with cash available to purchase the right property.
Supermarkets are highly competitive now and ALDI/LIDL are making huge inroads into much of Ireland.
As sickntired says it all depends how you want to live - but just don't expect the same level of infrastructure and lifestyle quality that you might be used to.
Ireland has come a long way in the last 20 years but at heart it's still a rural backwater.

Horus

Id forget the gas. In a rural or semi rural area you're more likely to have oil heating or if you really want gas then Calor gas.

I'd check for connection to the mains sewer too otherwise it's a septic tank which you will have to have emptied occasionally.

€30 for Sky would be the basic package?

You might not get broadband in some areas

How old is your car? And have you allowed for VRT when you import it?