Dublin at a Glance

Moving to Dublin

Dublin is actually quite picturesque and small in size.

Although the property bubble has burst, moving to Dublin is still a good decision for expats. With the demand for professionals on the rise, the number of expats moving to Dublin will increase in the near future. Read our guide on moving to Dublin for info on districts, transport, and immigration.

Moving to Dublin: A Compact Metropolis

It might surprise many expats moving to Dublin that this internationally famed city is actually quite small in size; or at least the city proper is. Only about half a million people live within the city limits, while many expats and locals prefer moving to Dublin’s peripheral area with its many suburbs.

How much of the peripheral area can actually be viewed as connected to Dublin, thus forming the metropolitan area, is debatable. The two most common concepts include Dublin County plus the three counties surrounding it, while the extended version includes the three counties surrounding this first area.

Moving to Dublin’s periphery was highly popular before the crisis, with annual population growth rates in the double digits. Today, this development has obviously slowed down, but moving to Dublin and its metropolitan area is still a popular option for many. Whether you are moving to the city or its surroundings is a decision most of you will obviously base on your place of work and the daily commute. For information on getting around town, please see our article on Living in Dublin.

Move to Dublin: Northside, Southside and Between

Traditionally, the city has been informally divided into two clear and distinct areas to the north and south of the River Liffey, respectively. Aptly, they have been dubbed Northside and Southside.

The division has long been a social and economic one: the upper and middle classes tended towards moving to Dublin’s Southside, while the working class was located primarily in the north. The division is much less pronounced these days, although you will be confronted with different stereotypes about the “other side” depending on where your move to Dublin takes you.

Few things in Dublin tend to be strictly black or white, and this informal division is no exception. Many of the most affluent citizens have made new homes by moving to Dublin’s Northside, and not every part of the Southside is as posh and bourgeois as some “northerners” would like to make you believe.

Don’t take the rivalry between both sides too seriously when contemplating your move to Dublin. There are other factors that should be of higher importance to you: proximity to amenities such as schools, public transportation and health care facilities, for example.

Moving to Dublin: The Suburbs

Anyone interested in moving to Dublin but tired of life in the big city should look into moving to one of Dublin’s many suburbs. The Greater Dublin area, referring to the extended version mentioned above, is home to three times as many people as the city proper.

The number of people and businesses moving to Dublin’s periphery was immense, due to underinvestment and shoddily planned infrastructure in Dublin County in the years before the economic growth phase beginning in the 1990s. Today, the Greater Dublin area accounts for almost 40% of the nation’s jobs. A move to Dublin’s hinterland will ensure a less hectic life than in the big city, but with all the amenities of a modern metropolis available nearby.