Townleap

Cost of Living: Cork vs Stuttgart (2026)

Ireland vs Germany — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Cork
Stuttgart
$2005/mo
Rent
$1157/mo
70/100
Livability
84/100
95/100
Safety
92/100
Healthcare
85/100
2 yr
PR path
5 yr
Internet
224 Mbps
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 ($1157/mo vs $2005/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 84 to Cork's 70 on livability — the gap is real. Cork has its charms, but the numbers favor Stuttgart.
Household
Cork
Metric
Stuttgart
$2005/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1157/mo
$798/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$829/mo
0.7 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.3 / 100k
19°C
☀️
Summer high
24°C
4°C
❄️
Winter low
0°C
Internet speed
224 Mbps
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
9.2 μg/m³
9.2 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
8.7 / 10
100/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$133k
💼
GDP per capita
$74k
2.1% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
2.3% · Boringly steady
70 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
84 / 100
Grid reliability
98/100 — Reliable
2 years
📋
Time to PR
5 years
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · 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
19°C vs 24°C 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

Grid reliability
98/100
2 yrs
Time to PR
5 yrs
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 · IEA · 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

57/100
Rainbow Index
66/100
Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 42% cheaper in Stuttgart ($1157/mo vs $2005/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are noticeably warmer in Stuttgart (24°C vs 19°C).

Cork vs Stuttgart — Common Questions

Is Cork cheaper than Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1157/month in Stuttgart 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 84 to Cork's 70 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 (24°C vs 19°C). Cork has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

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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