Philly, US to Cork, IE
Posted by myk_600@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 12 comments
Should we do it? It’s for an interesting job, but the housing issue has me worried. My wife and I would be going from a combined salary of $140k to a single salary of €90k and we’d be renting.
kendotips@reddit
That’s a big move, and Cork specifically is one of the tighter housing markets in Ireland right now, so it’s good you’re thinking about that upfront.
I am pro to take the leap, but here are a couple of practical things I’d look at before deciding:
1. Rent vs net income (not just salary)
€90k sounds solid, but what matters is what you actually take home after Irish taxes + social contributions. Ireland can be pretty high on that side.
Then compare that to current rents in Cork (Daft.ie is usually the best reference). You’ll get a much clearer picture of what your monthly flexibility looks like.
2. One income vs two (this is bigger than it looks)
Going from two incomes to one isn’t just about the total number, it’s about risk and flexibility.
Things like:
what happens if the job doesn’t work out
how long it would take to find another role
whether your wife could realistically work later on
3. Housing reality check before committing
If possible, try to:
line up temporary housing first
or at least confirm how long it typically takes to secure a rental
Some people underestimate how competitive it can be and end up in short-term setups longer than expected.
4. U.S. side considerations (often overlooked)
Even if the move makes sense financially in Ireland, there are still U.S. reporting/tax considerations in the background once you’re abroad.
Not necessarily a dealbreaker and it can be something that can actually help you, but it’s something I’d at least be aware of before making the jump so there are no surprises later.
Not saying it’s a bad move at all; it could be a great opportunity, but I’d probably run those numbers and scenarios first so you’re not relying just on the headline salary.
If you do move forward and want to think through how everything connects (especially the U.S. side + living abroad transition), I’ve helped people map that out step by step. But either way, you’re asking the right questions 👍
blooparagraphs@reddit
Thanks, ChatGPT!
kendotips@reddit
Yes, I used ChatGPT to organize and correct my writing, but everything I shared it is what I think, based on my experience. I am sorry if doing so made it seem robotic or lazy, but for something with so many moving parts I didn’t want to just write directly from the top of my head. It wasn’t my intention to draw any bad attention or promote the use of AI to “solve” someone else’s problem. I do realize anyone can just ask these questions to AI and what is valued here is personal experiences. Again sincere apologies for how the message was communicated but my intentions were not bad.
No-Orchid-5511@reddit
But that comment was very clearly ENTIRELY written by a bot. No editing at all - ChatGPT spit out EVERYTHING.
Is it really so hard to write in plain English? I don’t think so. ☹️
blooparagraphs@reddit
No worries mate, I just spotted something AI-written and said it. If it really represents your thoughts indeed, then there's indeed no issue. But I just called out something generated ;)
kendotips@reddit
No I actually appreciate the call out! Should have known better. I wouldn’t appreciate a lazy Ai answer my self if I had a question.
biggcb@reddit
Is it for a fixed period of time? Do you have kids? Plan to have kids in near future? Will the company help at all finding housing? On the surface, if it was just wife & I, I would take it for the experience. Go Birds! Go Phillies!
myrighthandwoman@reddit
As someone who just did this same move (US- Ireland, less income, renting)… don’t do it.
Pretty much every day my husband and I wish we could turn back time
biggcb@reddit
Just curious - why?
myrighthandwoman@reddit
Loneliness, financial instability, kid is getting bullied, etc etc etc
someguy984@reddit
Taxes will kill you in IE.
lovepeacefakepiano@reddit
You’ll be very nicely off on 90k in Cork, to be fair. It would probably be comparable to your 140k in terms of quality of life.