Live 2026 data · Tuition, rent, visa, salaries, PR pathways & more
Luxembourg
59
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,800
Salary/mo
$4,200
Ireland
57
GoScore
Budget/mo
$1,744
Salary/mo
$3,815
AI insights unavailable
Study Abroad GoScore Ranking
GoScore 0-100 · Weights: affordability, PR pathway, safety, career & quality of life
Key Comparison Metrics
Public university tuition / year
Monthly student budget
Part-time wage / hour
Student visa fee
Post-study work visa
IELTS band required
Safety index
Quick Verdict — 2026
Luxembourg wins for students (GoScore 59 vs 57). A 2-year master's costs $45,000 in Luxembourg — 29% less than Ireland, saving $18,656.
Ireland wins for working professionals (GoScore 63 vs 62). Professionals in Luxembourg retain $1,850/month after expenses — $924/month more than in Ireland.
Luxembourg is stronger for permanent residence (GoScore 69 vs 67). PR takes ~5 years in Luxembourg vs ~5 years in Ireland.
Total cost of attendance in Ireland — tuition ($21,800) plus living ($41,856) — is $63,656. In Luxembourg: $45,000 ($1,800 tuition + $43,200 living).Luxembourg is 29% cheaper, saving $18,656 over the degree.
In Ireland, 20 hrs/week at $15/hr earns $1,178/month — covering 77% of outside-city rent. In Luxembourg, the same hours earn $1,120/month — covering 80% of rent.
After rent, groceries, transport, and utilities, a professional in Ireland retains $926/month from $3,815. In Luxembourg: $1,850/month from $4,200. Over 5 years the gap compounds to $55,440. Tech salaries: $5,995/mo (Ireland) vs $6,000/mo (Luxembourg).
Ireland: PR pathway ~5 years. Luxembourg: ~5 years. Post-study work visas: 24 months (Ireland) and 12 months (Luxembourg). Student visa fee: $327 vs $350.
Minimum IELTS band: 6.0 (Ireland) and 6.0 (Luxembourg).Take a free IELTS mock test on mockDe to benchmark your exact skill-level gaps before applying.
| Metric | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg |
|---|---|---|
| Study GoScore | 57 | 59 |
| Work GoScore | 63 | 62 |
| Settle GoScore | 67 | 69 |
| Public university tuition / yr | $10,900 | $900 |
| Monthly student budget | $1,744 | $1,800 |
| Avg net salary / month | $3,815 | $4,200 |
| Rent 1-bed (city centre) | $2,180/mo | $1,800/mo |
| Post-study work visa | 24 months | 12 months |
| PR pathway | 5 years | 5 years |
| Safety index | 65 / 100 | 76 / 100 |
Understanding a country beyond spreadsheets — unique facts about each destination that shape the experience of living and working there.
🇮🇪 Ireland
Ireland hosts European headquarters for Google, Meta, Apple, LinkedIn, and Twitter — all drawn by its 12.5% corporate tax rate, creating immense demand for tech talent.
Source: IDA Ireland 2024
The Stay Back visa allows international graduates to remain in Ireland for 1–2 years after graduation to find employment.
Source: ISD Ireland 2023
Irish universities charge €9,000–25,000/year in tuition for non-EU students — significantly cheaper than the UK for English-medium education in the Eurozone.
Source: HEA Ireland 2024
Ireland is the only English-speaking country in the Eurozone — giving graduates access to EU free movement while working in English.
Dublin's tech salary average of €65,000/year for software engineers rivals London and exceeds most continental European cities.
Source: Glassdoor IE 2024
🇱🇺 Luxembourg
Luxembourg has the world's highest GDP per capita at $135,000 — more than double the US figure.
Source: World Bank 2024
The minimum wage in Luxembourg is €2,570/month — the highest in the European Union.
Source: MECO Luxembourg 2024
Luxembourg's Spuerkeess bank issues mortgages in 3 currencies (EUR, CHF, GBP) — reflecting the country's unique multilingual financial ecosystem.
73% of Luxembourg's workforce are cross-border commuters from France, Germany, and Belgium — making it the world's largest employer of international daily commuters.
Source: STATEC 2023
Popular Comparisons
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Data Sources
Editorial
Compiled by mockDe Editorial Team
Verified by IELTS-certified advisors with study-abroad counselling experience.
Freshness
Data reflects 2026 benchmarks.
Last reviewed June 2026.
AI verdict cached permanently; regenerated on data change.
All figures in USD. AI insights by Gemini Pro. Values are indicative — verify official sources before making relocation decisions.