Cost of Living

I have been really surprised by the cost of living here.  Ireland follows only Denmark in terms of the most expensive countries to live in Europe.  And according to the Irish Independent in June 2024 prices here were 42pc higher than the average for the EU.  42% higher!!  No wonder so many young people are emigrating though we also have  many people coming into the country.  What I see here is way less disposable income, and therefore less ability to save because the gap between wages and the cost of living is not wide enough.  I appreciate the social welfare handouts that I did not receive in NY, things like the children's allowance and additional payments towards the children's allowance, as well as the electricity credits.  These payments are like putting a plaster on a recurring wound but never looking to see why the wound keeps opening up though....

Buying a home here (Greystones) is on par if not more expensive than my old neighborhood on Long Island.  Hotel stays and eating out are about the same.  Concert tickets and tickets to Broadway shows or to see the Brooklyn Nets are more expensive than entertainment here.  Clothes prices are similar except there are more outlets available in the States.  And though groceries here are a little less expensive, many individual items are equal in price to NY prices.  Have a look at the table below for some more observations on my part.  As you can see the big ticket items cost more here!