The 10 Cheapest Places to Live in Ireland
People consider many factors when deciding where to live, and for some, affordability is high on their list of criteria. In Ireland, there are both expensive areas and locations that have affordable housing options and a low overall cost of living.
Although the median house price in Ireland is €263,750 ($313,378), there are many places where you can set up a home for significantly less than that. If you want to find somewhere affordable in this country, here are the 10 cheapest places to live in Ireland.
10. Clare
The tenth cheapest place to live in Ireland is County Clare, where the average home price is €186,507 ($221,600). Clare is a county in the Mid-West region of the Republic of Ireland.
The county town of Clare is Ennis, which is also the county’s largest settlement. Clare is the seventh-largest county in Ireland, and it is bordered by Limerick, Tipperary, and Galway.
Not only is Ennis one of the most affordable places to live in Clare, but Property Guides says that it is also one of the best places to live in Clare. This boutique town has great nightlife, lots of shops and restaurants, and a diverse community.
9. Tipperary
Tipperary is in the province of Munster, and the county is named after its main town. Other large towns in Tipperary are Clonmel, Nenagh, and Thurles. Tipperary is the sixth-largest county in terms of area, yet it is only the 12th largest by population.
The difference is because the towns are interspersed by large rural areas. It is part of the large central plain of Ireland, and there are several mountain ranges, including the Silvermine Mountains, the Knockmealdown, the Arra Hills, and the Galtee.
If Tipperary is your location of choice, then you will be pleased to learn that the median home price is a mere €182,435 ($216,740).
8. Monaghan
Monaghan has some very affordable housing options, and the median home value is €179,707 ($213,461). It is a landlocked county to the north of the Republic of Ireland. It is the fifth smallest county in Ireland. The towns in Monaghan are where most of the cheapest properties are located, and the largest towns in this county include Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Castelblayney, Clones, and Ballybay.
7. Donegal
Donegal remains an affordable county in Ireland, and the median value of properties in this location is €153,886 ($182,806). One of the cheapest villages in Donegal is Burtonport, a small fishing village on Donegal’s coast.
There are daily sailings from the village to the nearby island of Arranmore. It is a quiet location with a close-knit community. Donegal is the northernmost county of the Republic of Ireland, and it sits along the western border of Northern Ireland.
6. Cavan
Another cheap place to live in Ireland is Cavan, where you can get your hands on properties for around €153,117 ($181,893). A picturesque location within Cavan that is ideal for those on a budget is Gowlan, which is close to forestry plantations, waterfalls, the Derrynananta Lough, mountain streams, and gravel pits. Cavan is a county to the north of Ireland, and it shares a border with Northern Ireland.
5. Sligo
If you want an affordable place to live in Ireland, then consider looking around the towns of Sligo, as the median house price in this area is €149,554 ($177,619). Sligo is a northwestern county that shares its name with the main city within the county.
Sligo is home to Benbulben Mountain, which is one of the most famous and distinctive landmarks in Ireland. The county’s population is 65,535.
4. Mayo
Mayo is generally considered one of the cheapest places to live in Ireland. Although property prices vary from one town to the next in this county, the median home price is €149,430 ($177,515).
Mayo is the third-largest county of the 32 counties in Ireland, and it is located in the province of Connacht. The county town of Mayo is Castlebar, and this is where you will find many of the cheapest properties. However, there are also properties that are cheap to buy or rent elsewhere in the county.
3. Longford
Longford is the third cheapest county to live in Ireland as properties cost around €145,209 ($172,470). This county shares its name with its county town, which has a population of just over 10,000 people.
Longford is on the historic Gaelic territory of Annaly, and it lies on the basin of the River Shannon. According to Quinn Property Partners, Longford is an excellent place to live because there are outstanding schools, plenty of job opportunities, stunning rural areas, many shopping destinations, and a diverse range of activities for people to enjoy in their leisure time.
2. Roscommon
To buy a property in Roscommon costs an average of €142,757 ($169,560). Within Roscommon, one of the cheapest places to live is Tully in Castlerea, which is the county’s second-largest town.
It is in a scenic location, as it sits on the banks of the River Francis and the River Suck, both of which are tributaries of the River Shannon. Another affordable location in this county is the village of Argina, which is close to Lough Allen and the villages of Keadue and Ballyfarnon.
1. Leitrim
According to the Irish Mirror, the cheapest place to live in Ireland is Leitrim. This county is the most affordable place to buy a property, and it is also cheap to rent in this location. The average house price is €127,047 ($150,901).
One of the cheapest places to live within County Leitrim is Manorhamilton, which is the second largest town in the county. Another location within County Leitrim that is cheap if you are buying property is Aughnasheelin, which is a small, historic town.
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Written by Dana Hanson
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