Ireland vs Spain

A side-by-side 2026 brief for someone choosing between these two countries — economy, cost of living, visa routes, tax, and what has recently changed on the policy front.

IEIreland

Europe · Dublin · EUR

Full Ireland brief →

ESSpain

Europe · Madrid · EUR

Full Spain brief →

At a glance

IrelandSpain
Capital Dublin Madrid
Currency EUR EUR
Population
World Bank
 5,395,790 48,848,840
GDP per capita
USD nominal · World Bank
 $112,895 $35,327
Real GDP growth
latest year
 +2.6% +3.5%
CPI inflation
annual, latest
 2.1% 2.8%
Unemployment
ILO-comparable
 4.6% 10.4%
Youth unemployment
age 15–24
 10.5% 24.7%
Life expectancy
at birth
 83.0 yrs 83.9 yrs
Top income tax
top marginal rate
 40% 47%
Health spending 6.9% of GDP 9.2% of GDP
Internet users
of population
 97.2% 95.8%
EU / Schengen
membership
 EU EU + Schengen

Cost of living (Cork vs Barcelona)

IrelandSpain
1-bed city centre
monthly rent
 €1,550
Cork
 €1,380
Barcelona
Groceries (1 person)
monthly basket
 €365
monthly basket
 €270
monthly basket
Transit pass
monthly unlimited
 €100
monthly pass
 €43
monthly pass

Figures are 2024–2025 from official statistical and city-level sources. Individual experience varies with district and lifestyle.

Visa routes

IrelandSpain
Visa routes tracked 6 visas 6 visas
Top option Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP)
EUR 38,000 floor · 4–12w
 Digital Nomad Visa (DNV)
EUR 2,368 floor · 3–8w

Full visa data including income thresholds, processing times, and requirements: Ireland visas → · Spain visas →

Published outcomes — what the data actually shows

IrelandSpain
Outcome rows
primary-sourced aggregates
 5 rows 4 rows
Headline metric New employment permits issued (all types): 32,480 new · 5,709 renewals
DETE · Highest ever number of employment permits issued in 2024
 First residence permits issued (EU-wide rank): 561,640 (16.0% of EU total · #1 in EU)
Eurostat · 3.5 million first residence permits in 2024

Full outcome data is on each country brief: Ireland → · Spain →

Recent policy changes

IrelandSpain
Tracked changes
in the freshness tracker
 24 entries 25 entries
Most recent Sub-standard salary thresholds (healthcare, agri-food) phased out by 2030
1 Mar 2026
 Barcelona tourist-flat licences to lapse by November 2028
9 Nov 2028
𝕏 Twitter Reddit LinkedIn HN

Related comparisons

ComparePortugal vs SpainCompareUnited Kingdom vs IrelandCompareSpain vs ItalyCompareNetherlands vs IrelandCompareGermany vs SpainCompareSpain vs France

Frequently asked questions

Is Ireland cheaper to live in than Spain?
In a representative city centre, a one-bedroom apartment in Cork runs about €1,550/mo versus €1,380/mo in Barcelona (both EUR-converted from local figures) — a difference that shapes the single biggest line-item in most relocators' budgets.
Which country has easier visa access for remote workers?
Both countries are tracked in Meridian's visa database. Ireland tracks 6 visa routes; Spain tracks 6. The best option depends on your income source (remote employment vs. local employer sponsorship), your qualifications, and whether you need a path to permanent residency. See the Ireland visa routes and Spain visa routes for detailed comparison.
How do taxes compare?
Ireland's top marginal income-tax rate is 40%; Spain's is 47%. Remember that top-marginal rates are misleading in isolation — social contributions, VAT, wealth taxes, and the thresholds at which bands kick in matter as much as the headline number. See each country's full taxation section.
Where is the economy doing better right now?
Ireland's real GDP grew +2.6% in the latest World Bank release; Spain grew +3.5%. Short-term growth rates are volatile and a poor guide to where wages will rise — we don't recommend optimising a move on this alone.