Townleap

Cost of Living: Dublin vs Stuttgart (2026)

Ireland vs Germany — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Dublin
Stuttgart
$2522/mo
Rent
$1157/mo
67/100
Livability
84/100
87/100
Safety
92/100
80/100
Healthcare
85/100
2 yr
PR path
5 yr
91 Mbps
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 54% cheaper on rent ($1157/mo vs $2522/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 Dublin's 67 on livability — the gap is real. Dublin has its charms, but the numbers favor Stuttgart.
Household
Dublin
Metric
Stuttgart
$2522/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1157/mo
$857/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$829/mo
$7,392
🧳
Cost to land
0.9 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.3 / 100k
54 / 100
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
18°C
☀️
Summer high
24°C
4°C
❄️
Winter low
0°C
91 Mbps
Internet speed
224 Mbps
6.3 μg/m³
🌬️
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
67 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
84 / 100
91/100 — Reliable
Grid reliability
98/100 — Reliable
97/100
🗽
Freedom House
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
$1365/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Stuttgart
0.3 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Dublin
9.2/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
18°C vs 24°C summers
🗣️
English
Dublin
higher proficiency score
📋
Residency
Dublin
PR in 2 years

Sun

How much sky you actually get

42% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
37% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
7.5h
Shortest day
Dec
8.3h
17.0h
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

stable
Democracy trend
improving
Inflation trend
techfintechpharmafinance
Industries
hub
Startup ecosystem
91/100
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
Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
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 54% cheaper in Stuttgart ($1157/mo vs $2522/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are noticeably warmer in Stuttgart (24°C vs 18°C).
  • Stuttgart is safer by homicide rate (0.3 vs 0.9 per 100k).

Dublin vs Stuttgart — Common Questions

Is Dublin cheaper than Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1157/month in Stuttgart vs $2522/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Dublin or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Dublin has a rate of 0.88 per 100,000 and Stuttgart has 0.33 per 100,000.

Should I move to Dublin or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart scores 84 to Dublin's 67 on livability — the gap is real. Dublin 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.

Is it easier to get residency in Dublin or Stuttgart?

Dublin: Ireland Critical Skills Employment Permit (complex process, 2 years (then Stamp 4)). Stuttgart: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Dublin or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart is warmer in summer (24°C vs 18°C). Dublin 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 Dublin vs Stuttgart?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1157/month in Stuttgart, $2522/month in Dublin (Numbeo). That's 54% cheaper rent in Stuttgart.

Is healthcare better in Dublin or Stuttgart?

Stuttgart scores higher on our composite healthcare index (85/100 vs 80/100 for Dublin). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

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

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