Average rent in Ireland — €1,336/mo by county

The average rent in Ireland is €1,336/month (official CSO data · 2025Q4). Dublin is the most expensive county at €2,165/month; Donegal is the most affordable at €1,001/month — a gap of €1,164/month across the same country. These figures reflect actual registered tenancy payments, not Daft asking prices.

Average rent by county — all 26 counties ranked

Cheapest counties to rent in Ireland

The most affordable counties for private renting, ranked by average monthly rent. Lower rental costs in these counties typically coincide with lower population density, more limited public transport, and above-average unemployment — the data for each is on the county census page.

Most expensive counties to rent

What rent data reveals that asking prices don't

• CSO data vs Daft asking prices: Official CSO rental figures capture what tenants are actually paying — including long-standing tenancies subject to RPZ caps. Asking prices on listing sites reflect the current new-tenancy market, which is typically 15–25% higher. Both figures matter for different questions.
• Rental Pressure Zones: Most of Dublin, Cork city, Galway city, and Limerick city are RPZ-designated, capping annual rent increases. Census 2022 shows these areas average 35–55% private renting rates — well above the national 18%. The cap has slowed increases; it has not reversed them.
• Census tenure vs market price: A high rented_pct in a county (above 25%) signals structural rental dependency — not enough affordable purchase options to allow ownership. Dublin's 35%+ renting rate reflects market failure, not preference. Leitrim's 8% reflects the opposite: ownership is accessible.
• Annual change rate: Counties showing >5% annual rent growth are outpacing wage inflation. The IrelandInsights map shows where Census 2022 renting rates are highest — the areas under structural pressure.

Renting vs buying by county — the trade-off

In counties where rents are low, house prices are typically low too — and vice versa. The key question is whether the monthly rent cost approaches the cost of a mortgage on a comparable property. In Dublin, renting a 3-bed for €2,800/month is broadly equivalent to a mortgage on a €450,000+ home. In Longford, renting for €900/month may cost more than a mortgage on a €130,000 property — making ownership the rational financial decision for anyone with a deposit.

The IrelandInsights map shows live house prices from the Property Price Register alongside Census 2022 rental patterns — allowing direct comparison by area.

The counties where the rent-to-income gap is widest — Dublin and the surrounding commuter belt — are visible on the map above by switching between the rent and ownership layers. Whether the next RPZ review narrows or widens the gap between these and the rest of the country will show in this data as each CSO release lands.