rent a home in Ireland
If you can be flexible about where you end up living in Ireland then you have a good chance of saving a lot of money on rent. The cost of rent is significantly higher in Irish city centre areas (in particular Dublin), and in city suburbs, than it is in rural areas, or in commuter towns. There are a few very obvious reasons which influence this such as the availability of jobs, and the convenience of services in built up areas.

If you don't mind a bit of a trek to work or school, then you may save some money on rent, however you may end up paying more for transportation. For example, I know quite a few people who live and work in Dublin city centre, and are quite comfortable getting by without a car. Public transportation is good so they're happy to make use of it. What they save on car payments, petrol and maintenance, they probably spend on rent, but they like the convenience of being able to walk to the places they go to every day.

I've plucked a few examples from home rental websites to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay depending on the home type, and proximity to the nearest town/city. Keep in mind that these are just examples (as of Oct 2014), and that numerous factors may influence whether the rent price will fluctuate. In fact there are reports on the news just this week about how the banks may only offer 80% mortgages starting next year. I imagine this will encourage (or force) more people to rent, which in turn may cause rental rates to go up due to supply vs demand.

Sample rental properties in 3 of Ireland's major cities in October 2014

Dublin

  • 3 bed semi detached house, Swords, €1,550 / month
  • 2 bed apartment, Dublin 13, €1,150 / month
  • 2 bed apartment, Temple Bar, €1,600 / month
  • 2 bed apartment, near trinity college, €1,795 / month
  • 1 bed apartment, Christchurch, Dublin 8, €975 / month

Cork

  • 4 bed semi-detached, Carrigaline, €1,000 / month
  • 3 bed apartment, city centre, €900 / month
  • 3 bed detached home, Douglas, €1,000 / month
  • 2 bed apartment, Blackpool, €900 / month

Galway

  • 3 bed terraced house, Barna, €1,000 / month
  • 4 bed detached house, Taylors Hill, €1,395 / month
  • 4 bed semi-detached, Ballybrit, €900 / month

Some things that may surprise you about renting a home in Ireland

  • Ireland's high speed internet connection service is still growing. Don't assume you will have access to a fast internet connection, especially if you live in a rural area. If high speed internet is not available, you can probably still get internet over the phone line, or via a satellite service.
  • You might expect tax to be payable on your rent, but you might be surprised to learn that it could be your responsibility (not the landlords) to report and pay it. According to citizensinformation.ie "if you pay the rent directly to the landlord (including into their bank account) whether in Ireland or abroad, you must deduct tax at the standard rate (20% in 2013) from the gross amount that you pay." And, if you "pay your rent through an agent, you do not have to deduct tax from the rent." This was a surprise to me, and certainly something to be aware of when signing a lease.
  • Most homes available for rent come furnished as standard (in the USA it's generally the other way around). When comparing rentals be sure you compare like for like.