Townleap

Cost of Living: Cork vs Stuttgart (2026)

Ireland vs Germany — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Cork
Stuttgart
$2,005/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,157/mo
2 yr
PR path
5 yr
Freelance setup
Sole Trader
  • VAT-free under €40k
  • 4% social
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Freiberufler
  • VAT-free under €25k
  • €1200/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated June 2026

TL;DRStuttgart is 42% cheaper on rent ($1,157/mo vs $2,005/mo). Ireland gets you to permanent residency 3 years faster (2 vs 5 years). Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Stuttgart scores 85 to Cork's 72 on livability — the gap is real. Cork has its charms, but the numbers favor Stuttgart.
How the livability score breaks down
Cork
Stuttgart
9.6/25
💰 Affordability
17.7/25
14.3/15
🔒 Violent Crime
14.7/15
6.3/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
6.6/10
5.3/15
Internet
15/15
13.8/15
🗳️ Democracy
13.1/15
10/10
🗣️ English
8.8/10
6.9/10
☀️ Climate
9.7/10
7.9/10
📊 Stability
7.7/10
10/10
🚗 Road Safety
9.8/10
9/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
7.9/10
Household
Cork
Metric
Stuttgart
$798/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$829/mo
90 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
88 / 100
0.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.3 / 100k
2.8 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
3.3 / 100k
63 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
66 / 100
66°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
75°F
39°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
32°F
Internet speed
higher is better
224 Mbps
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
9.2 μg/m³
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
85 / 100
9.2 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
8.7 / 10
7.9 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
7.1 / 9
57 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
66 / 100
100/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
73/100
$133k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$74k
2.1% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.3% · Boringly steady
Grid reliability
higher is better
98/100 — Reliable
97/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
95/100
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated June 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Stuttgart
$848/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Stuttgart
0.3 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Cork
9.2/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
66°F vs 75°F summers
📋
Residency
Cork
PR in 2 years

Sun

How much sky you actually get

28% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
37% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
7.9h
Shortest day
Dec
8.3h
16.6h
Longest day
Jun
16.1h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Complex
RU visa
Complex
Easy
UA visa
Moderate
Recognized (2+ yr)
de facto partner
Partner pathway
Not recognized
eingetragene Lebenspartnerschaft (now: Ehe)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
12 wk
Gestational limit
12 wk

On request up to 12 weeks since 2018 referendum. Mandatory 3-day waiting period.

Not punishable within 12 weeks with mandatory counseling and 3-day waiting period.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Cork vs Stuttgart — Common Questions

Is Cork cheaper than Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1157/month there vs $2005/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Cork or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Cork has a rate of 0.65 per 100,000 and Stuttgart has 0.33 per 100,000.

Should I move to Cork or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart scores 85 to Cork's 72 on livability — the gap is real. Cork has its charms, but the numbers favor Stuttgart. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Which has better weather, Cork or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is warmer in summer (75°F vs 66°F). Cork has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Cork or Stuttgart without speaking the local language?

Cork is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Stuttgart (73/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Cork vs Stuttgart?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1157/month in Stuttgart, $2005/month in Cork (Numbeo). That's 42% cheaper rent in Stuttgart.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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