Watch: Spaniard living in Ireland gives warning to youngsters planning a move to the Emerald Isle - CSN

Watch: A Spaniard who lives in Ireland warns young people planning to move to the Emerald Isle. – CSN

Louise Brown February 6, 2025 Travel Leave a comment

A SPANISH lady has described her experiences of living as a foreigner in Ireland, and warned young people not to move to large cities like Dublin.

According to Eurostat’s latest figures, Ireland is the third-highest real GDP per capita country in Europe.

As of 2023, the figure stood at €71,700 per person, surpassed only by Norway (€71,870), and Luxembourg (€83,320).

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Ireland’s growing economic prosperity has drawn a growing number foreigners.

In 2023, it was Europe’s sixth-highest number of foreign born people as a percentage of the population. It had risen from the 11th place in 2022.

Leire Campo is a Spaniard who lives in County Leitrim and was attracted by the higher wages.

She shares her experience on TikTok, where she talks positively about the quieter regions of Ireland rather than the capital.

Leire claims that the average Irish salary is €2,146, nearly double the €1,323 wage in Spain.

More and more Spaniards have migrated to Ireland in search of better job opportunities.

In 2022, data from Ireland’s Central Statistics Office showed that Spanish nationals made up only 3% of non-Irish citizens living in Ireland.

Only six other nationalities were more prevalent, with Polish nationals leading the pack at 15% and UK nationals following at 13%.

Although they earn more, many Spaniards still worry about the high cost of living.

Leire warns of financial hardships for newcomers who choose expensive accommodation in the city center.

She recommends that smaller municipalities be considered instead.

During her time in Galway, for example, she was able to rent a room with a shared bathroom for just €350 per month.

Now, she and her partner live in a two-bedroom apartment in a small village in County Leitrim, paying just €1,200 per month.

With a combined income of €4,000, their living expenses are easily manageable.

A lack of social activity in smaller towns, such as Galway, is another concern for newcomers.

Leire, however, insists that she has never felt alone.

The TikToker claims that even in her small village, she has access to ‘everything: supermarkets, pubs, cinemas, restaurants, gyms, and even a bus to the airport.’

Leire advises Spaniards thinking of moving to Ireland to settle in Galway and its surrounding areas. It highlights the excellent transportation connections to the area.

In another video, she praises the Irish people in smaller communities as ‘super hospitable,’ and says “they look after newcomers”.

Her experience demonstrates that young Europeans who move abroad can enjoy a more affordable and fulfilling life in smaller cities or townships than they would in expensive capitals, or tourist-heavy regions.