It’s been exactly 20 days since I arrived in Dublin, and I’ve finally found some time to write about my first impressions. Most of my time has been spent getting to know the city, figuring out how things work, and searching for accommodation—bringing back memories of my time in Paris. It’s a similar story: almost impossible to find a place.
Dublin is currently going through an “accommodation crisis.” Most of the buildings weren’t designed to house large numbers of people. You’ll often see charming little houses, but they typically have just 1–2 floors.
The charm of these buildings, though beautiful, isn’t very practical. With the city’s growing popularity and more people arriving from all over the world for work or studies, there’s simply not enough space. This issue is a hot topic in Irish newspapers and in parliament. As a result, there are thousands of fake rental ads, high prices (ranging from 250–800 euros for a room in a shared apartment, and from 1,000–3,000+ euros for a studio or small apartment), and countless applicants.
Another reminder of Paris is the number of documents you need to rent anything here. If you want to officially rent an apartment (or even just a room), you’ll likely need the following: references from previous landlords, work references (preferably from Ireland), a 1–2 month deposit, and more.
The best ways to find accommodation are through Facebook groups (beware of fake ads!) or websites like daft.ie or myhome.ie.
Work
Surprisingly, there are plenty of job opportunities here. You can search through Facebook groups, Gumtree.ie (which has listings ranging from cleaning jobs to IT roles), or jobs.ie. Alternatively, you can simply walk around the city—shops, bars, and restaurants often have job offers posted right outside.
The minimum wage in Ireland is currently 8.65 euros per hour, and it’s set to increase to 9.15 euros per hour from January 2016. The average workweek is about 39 hours, with a legal maximum of 48 hours. To get a formal contract, you’ll need a PPS number (Personal Public Service Number), which is required for the national tax system.
Public Transport
One thing that really shocked me was the public transport! Dublin, with a population of around 1.5 million, has a pretty bad transport system. Compared to smaller cities like Krakow, where public transport works flawlessly 24/7, Dublin is quite lacking. The main provider is Dublin Bus, which operates over 200 routes using yellow-blue double-decker buses. Other transport options include the LUAS tram system and the DART commuter trains.
To use public transport, you can either buy single tickets or get a Leap Card for 5 euros and top it up with credit, which makes tickets 50 cents to 1 euro cheaper. There’s also a monthly pass option, but it only works for one operator and costs an insane 147 euros!
One of the craziest things about Dublin’s public transport is the lack of night buses during weekdays—there are none at all. The last buses leave at 23:30, and the first morning buses start around 5:00. If you’re in the city center and live in the outer areas, your options are limited: walk (up to 10 km), take a taxi (which isn’t too expensive but can cost anywhere from 10 to 35 euros), or cycle. Cycling is really popular in Dublin, with great cycling routes all over the city. You can buy a second-hand bike from 50 euros and up, but make sure to invest in a good lock—thousands of bikes are stolen every year. During weekends, there are a few Nightlink buses, but tickets are more expensive (around 5–6 euros) and not all routes are covered.
Phone
Another thing to sort out was getting an Irish phone number. The main providers are Meteor, O2, Tesco Mobile, Three, and Vodafone. Most of them offer similar packages. I chose Tesco Mobile, where you get 1 GB of data, unlimited calls, and credit for text messages for 15 euros a month.
Cost of Living
Everyday life here isn’t as expensive as I expected. Groceries in supermarkets are relatively cheap, though the quality could be better. If you want higher quality, you’ll have to pay a bit more. In the city center, everything is within walking distance, so you don’t need to use buses that often.
Nightlife is mostly concentrated in the city center, but prices are generally the same whether you’re in the center or the suburbs. A notable exception is Temple Bar Street, one of the most famous nightlife spots in Dublin, where a pint can cost around 7–8 euros. In other places, you can find cheaper beer for 3 euros, with the average price being 5–6 euros. Lunch will set you back 13–30 euros, while fish and chips costs around 10 euros.
So, that’s a general summary of my first days and weeks in Dublin and how things work here. 🙂
PS: The weather… really sucks! :)) In the span of an hour, you can experience rain, wind at 18 m/s, sunshine, blue skies, warmth, and then more rain. :)) It’s not the most comfortable, but you get used to it.
