Compare countries

Ireland vs Italy

Two places, side by side — for anyone weighing where to move.

IE flagIT flag
Europe
IE flag
Ireland
Capital Dublin · 5M people · Euro
Europe
IT flag
Italy
Capital Rome · 60M people · Euro
Cost of living
Italy
$698/mo
Safety
Ireland
0.4/5
Getting around
Italy
0.3/5
Culture
Ireland
0.4/5
Passport reach
Ireland
not scored
Airports
Italy
183M passengers/yr
Climate
Depends on you
not scored
Overall
Italy edges it, 3–2.
Across 5 scored factors, each counted once — we don't weight them for you. Healthcare, visas and tax aren't included.

Cost of living

monthly median · solo budget

Italy leads
$2,616/mo
Ireland
$1,918/mo
Italy

Cost in the three biggest cities

Dublin$3,452
Cork$2,677
Limerick$2,391
Rome$2,213
Milan$2,607
Naples$1,638

Italy is cheaper than Ireland — $1,918/mo vs $2,616/mo. Ireland is pricier than 35 of 41 European countries; Italy is pricier than 25 of 41 European countries.

Safety

safety index

Ireland leads
2.7/5
Ireland
2.3/5
Italy

Ireland is safer than Italy — 2.7/5 vs 2.3/5. Ireland is less safe than 25 of 41 European countries; Italy is less safe than 32 of 41 European countries.

Getting around

transit & transport systems

Italy leads
2.7/5
Ireland · everyday transit
2.9/5
Italy · everyday transit
2.9/5Walkability4.1/5
1.9/5Transit3.6/5
2.0/5Cycling1.8/5
3.0/5Airport access3.3/5

Italy scores higher on mobility than Ireland — 2.9/5 vs 2.7/5. Ireland is harder to get around than 29 of 41 European countries; Italy is harder to get around than 21 of 41 European countries.

Culture

cultural depth

Ireland leads
3.9/5
Ireland
3.5/5
Italy

Top cultural centers

Ireland
4.2/5
Dublin
Nightlife
3.4/5
Cork
Festivals
2.7/5
Limerick
Theatre
Italy
4.1/5
Rome
Museums
4.0/5
Milan
Theatre
4.0/5
Turin
Theatre

Ireland scores higher on culture than Italy — 3.9/5 vs 3.5/5. Ireland is richer in culture than 34 of 41 European countries; Italy is richer in culture than 23 of 41 European countries.

Passport reach

what the passport opens

Ireland leads
104Visa-free destinations101
92%GDP reach92%
1141Heritage sites reachable1133

Ireland's passport reaches 104 destinations visa-free to Italy's 101 — Ireland opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.

Airports

international connectivity

Italy leads
3Major airports25
42MAnnual passengers225M

Italy is better connected than Ireland — 225M passengers/yr vs 42M passengers/yr. Ireland is busier than 53 of 87 countries worldwide; Italy is busier than 79 of 87 countries worldwide. Ireland sees ~9 air passengers per resident a year; Italy sees ~4 air passengers per resident a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.

Climate

where most people live · °C

Depends on you
Ireland-13°C to 23°C
Italy-5°C to 36°C

Extremes — coldest Bolzano -17°C

-25°-10°10°30°45°

Ireland runs -13°C to 23°C for most people; Italy runs -5°C to 36°C for most people. Bolzano runs colder, at -17°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.