Can You Afford to Rent on a HSE Salary?
Pick your grade and see the average rent in every Irish county against your take-home pay — the share it would eat, and what’s left each month. Official RTB rent data, 2026 tax rates.
Quick answer: On a Staff Nurse salary (€47,379), take-home is about €3,189 a month. Average rent in Dublin (€2,165, 2025 Q4) is about 68% of that, versus about 31% in Donegal (€1,001) — the cheapest county to rent.
| County | Avg rent | % of take-home | Left after rent | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €2,165 | 68% | €1,024 | Very high |
| Wicklow | €1,751 | 55% | €1,438 | Very high |
| Kildare | €1,734 | 54% | €1,455 | Very high |
| Limerick | €1,681 | 53% | €1,508 | Very high |
| Galway | €1,665 | 52% | €1,524 | Very high |
| Cork | €1,566 | 49% | €1,623 | Stretched |
| Meath | €1,558 | 49% | €1,631 | Stretched |
| Louth | €1,454 | 46% | €1,735 | Stretched |
| Carlow | €1,349 | 42% | €1,840 | Stretched |
| Westmeath | €1,285 | 40% | €1,904 | Stretched |
| Waterford | €1,284 | 40% | €1,905 | Stretched |
| Laois | €1,270 | 40% | €1,919 | Manageable |
| Offaly | €1,219 | 38% | €1,970 | Manageable |
| Kerry | €1,218 | 38% | €1,971 | Manageable |
| Clare | €1,217 | 38% | €1,972 | Manageable |
| Kilkenny | €1,216 | 38% | €1,973 | Manageable |
| Sligo | €1,203 | 38% | €1,986 | Manageable |
| Wexford | €1,203 | 38% | €1,986 | Manageable |
| Longford | €1,140 | 36% | €2,049 | Manageable |
| Mayo | €1,135 | 36% | €2,054 | Manageable |
| Cavan | €1,129 | 35% | €2,060 | Manageable |
| Roscommon | €1,115 | 35% | €2,074 | Manageable |
| Tipperary | €1,101 | 35% | €2,088 | Manageable |
| Monaghan | €1,050 | 33% | €2,139 | Manageable |
| Leitrim | €1,019 | 32% | €2,170 | Manageable |
| Donegal | €1,001 | 31% | €2,188 | Manageable |
Rent is the average monthly rent for new tenancies by county, 2025 Q4 (RTB Rent Index). Take-home is estimated for a single PAYE employee on the grade’s scale midpoint at 2026 rates, before any pension deduction. “% of take-home” is rent ÷ monthly net; a common rule of thumb is to keep it under ~30%. This is general information to compare counties, not financial advice.
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Rent figures are the average monthly rent for new tenancies by county from the RTB Rent Index (CSO RIQ02), 2025 Q4. Existing-tenancy rents (including Rent Pressure Zone caps) are typically lower than these new-tenancy figures.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a Staff Nurse afford to rent in Dublin?
- On a Staff Nurse salary (€47,379, scale midpoint), take-home is about €3,189 a month. The average Dublin rent of €2,165 (2025 Q4) is about 68% of that — very high for one income, so most renters share or rely on two earners. A second earner on the same grade roughly halves the share.
- Which Irish county has the cheapest rent?
- By the RTB Rent Index (2025 Q4), the lowest average new-tenancy rents are in Donegal (€1,001) and the other northern and midland counties, while Dublin (€2,165), Wicklow and Kildare are the most expensive.
- How much of my salary should go on rent?
- A common rule of thumb is to keep rent under about 30% of your income. In much of Ireland that is hard to do on one income at current rents, which is why the calculator lets you add a second earner and compares every county so you can see where your take-home stretches furthest.
- Where does the rent data come from?
- The county figures are the average monthly rent for new tenancies from the RTB Rent Index (published via the CSO), for 2025 Q4. Take-home pay is estimated at 2026 income tax, USC and PRSI rates for a single PAYE employee, at the grade's scale midpoint.