Moving from London to Dublin (2026): Costs, Neighbourhoods & Complete Guide

Moving from London to Dublin (2026): Costs, Neighbourhoods & Complete Guide

Moving from London to Dublin is one of the more unusual international relocations in Europe, because the rules split neatly in two. As a person, you keep almost complete freedom of movement thanks to the Common Travel Area, an arrangement that predates the EU and survived Brexit untouched. But your belongings tell a different story: since the UK left the EU, household goods shipped from Great Britain are treated as a third-country customs import into the European Union. Understanding this people-versus-goods split is the single most important thing to get right about this route.

Key takeaways

• People move freely. Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), British and Irish citizens can live, work and study in Ireland with no visa, permit or residency registration.
• Goods are a customs import. Household effects from Great Britain enter the EU as a third-country import and must be declared. You will normally claim Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief through Irish Revenue to avoid VAT and duty.
• Dublin is an island city. Furniture arrives by ferry and road (typically via a GB port to Dublin Port); people usually fly.
• Pets need new paperwork. From 22 April 2026, GB-resident owners can no longer use an EU pet passport and must obtain an Animal Health Certificate for each entry.
• Settling in is light-touch, but you will need a PPS number to work, pay tax and access services, and you should exchange your UK driving licence at the NDLS.
• Housing is the real challenge. Dublin is in a severe housing shortage with high rents; line up accommodation early.

1. The route: people free, goods declared

Dublin sits on the east coast of Ireland, so nothing crosses a land border on this move. Your possessions travel by road to a Great Britain ferry port and cross the Irish Sea by ferry into Dublin Port before final delivery. You, meanwhile, will almost certainly fly the short hop from a London airport, or travel by ferry yourself if you are bringing a vehicle.

For you as a person — the Common Travel Area. The CTA is a long-standing arrangement between Ireland and the UK that gives British and Irish citizens the right to move freely between the two countries and to reside, work, study and access healthcare and social welfare in either one. Both governments reaffirmed the CTA in a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding, so it continues to apply in full after Brexit. In practice this means an Irish or British citizen relocating from London needs no visa, no work permit and no residency registration to settle in Dublin.

For your belongings — a third-country customs entry. This is where Brexit changed everything. Because Great Britain is now outside the EU customs union and VAT area, a shipment of household goods from London to Dublin is a formal import into the European Union. Without relief, Irish import VAT (the standard rate is 23%) and any duty could apply. The route out of this is Transfer of Residence relief, administered by Irish Revenue for people transferring their normal home to Ireland. To qualify you generally need to have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, to have owned and used the goods for at least six months, and to provide evidence of the move such as an Irish tenancy or employment contract. The relevant Revenue paperwork should be lodged before your goods arrive. Keep an inventory: a clear, valued packing list is what makes the customs entry and the relief claim straightforward.

If you still need to book the removal – price ranges, what is included and the questions to ask before you sign – see international movers in Ireland.

2. What the move costs

Rather than quote route-specific figures, it helps to understand the cost drivers that actually move the price of a London–Dublin relocation:

• Volume and weight. The cubic metres you ship is the biggest single factor. Decluttering before you pack is the cheapest way to cut the bill.
• Ferry and fuel. The Irish Sea crossing and road haulage on both sides feed directly into the transport cost.
• Access at both ends. Narrow London streets, permit parking, upper-floor flats and Dublin city-centre delivery restrictions can all add handling charges.
• Customs handling. Preparing the import declaration and the Transfer of Residence relief claim is an additional service line on a GB–Ireland move that would not exist on an EU–EU move.
• Services. Full packing, furniture dismantling and reassembly, storage and insurance are optional extras that change the total.
• Timing. Summer and end-of-month slots are busiest; flexible dates usually price better.

3. Registering and settling in Dublin

Because you arrive under the CTA (or as an EU citizen), there is no immigration registration to complete — the Irish Residence Permit (IRP) process that applies to non-EU, non-CTA arrivals does not apply to you. The practical admin is lighter:

• PPS number. A Personal Public Service number is your gateway to employment, the tax system and public services. You apply through MyWelfare.ie using a verified MyGovID, and in 2026 you also attend an in-person identity check at an Intreo centre. You will need proof of identity, proof of an Irish address and proof of your reason for applying (such as a job offer).
• Register with Revenue. Once you have your PPS number and a job, register the employment through Revenue’s myAccount so your tax credits are applied correctly and you avoid emergency tax.
• Bank account and address. An Irish bank account and proof of address (a lease or utility bill) unlock most other services.

4. Living in Dublin: neighbourhoods

Dublin is compact and its postal districts are a useful shorthand:

• City centre (D1 & D2). The commercial and cultural heart — walkable, well connected, and priced accordingly.
• Rathmines & Ranelagh (D6). Leafy, popular with professionals, cafés and period redbricks, a short hop south of the centre.
• Portobello. Canal-side, buzzy and central; a favourite with younger renters.
• Docklands / D4. The modern waterfront and Ballsbridge — home to much of Dublin’s tech and financial sector, and some of its priciest addresses.
• Smithfield & Stoneybatter (D7). Characterful, increasingly fashionable, north of the river.
• Dún Laoghaire. A coastal town to the south-east with a harbour, seafront and a fast DART rail link into town.

Two things to plan around. First, Dublin is a genuine tech hub — the European base for many global technology and pharmaceutical firms — which drives strong demand for housing. Second, that demand has produced a severe housing shortage: rents are high, good properties let quickly, and viewings are competitive. Secure somewhere to live, even temporarily, before your goods arrive.

5. Tax, healthcare, driving and pets

Tax. You become Irish tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in Ireland in a tax year, or 280 days across the current and previous year combined (with at least 30 days in each). Because a mid-year move can otherwise leave income awkwardly taxed, split-year treatment may apply to employment income so you are only taxed on the Irish portion. Register with Revenue and keep records of your arrival date. Ireland and the UK have a double-taxation agreement, so the same income is not taxed twice.

Healthcare. Ireland runs a mixed public and private system. Public care is available to residents, but many everyday services carry a charge — GP visits typically cost a fee per consultation unless you qualify for a medical card or GP visit card based on income. Many residents also hold private health insurance to reduce waiting times. Under the CTA, British and Irish citizens retain reciprocal healthcare rights; if you receive a UK state pension or certain benefits, an S1 form may cover your care, and the EHIC/GHIC covers necessary care while travelling.

Driving licence. A UK licence can be exchanged directly for an Irish one at the NDLS with no test. EU/EEA licences are likewise exchangeable. If you intend to keep driving in Ireland long term, exchange rather than simply relying on your existing licence.

Pets. This is the sting in the tail for GB movers. Since 22 April 2026, an EU pet passport held by a Great Britain resident is no longer valid for EU entry. Instead you need an Animal Health Certificate from a UK vet for the journey, alongside microchipping, a valid rabies vaccination, and — for dogs — tapeworm treatment administered 24 to 120 hours before arrival.

6. A realistic timeline

• 6–8 weeks out: get moving quotes, start the housing search, and begin the Transfer of Residence groundwork (inventory and evidence of the move).
• 3–4 weeks out: book the ferry-based move, arrange the customs declaration, and start pet paperwork (rabies timing matters).
• 1–2 weeks out: lodge the ToR relief documentation with Revenue, confirm delivery access in Dublin, and book your PPS appointment for after arrival.
• Arrival week: attend the Intreo identity check, register your job with Revenue, open a bank account, and exchange your driving licence at the NDLS.

How Flyto handles your move

Flyto Relocation runs the London–Dublin route end to end. Because we operate our own hubs and coordinate the ferry crossing and road legs on both sides of the Irish Sea, we can keep a single point of accountability from your London flat to your Dublin door — and manage the customs entry and Transfer of Residence relief paperwork that this GB–Ireland route uniquely requires. We will remind you of the crucial split: as a British or Irish citizen you are free to live and work in Dublin under the Common Travel Area with no visa, while your goods still need a proper customs declaration into the EU. Get a tailored plan and quote from a Flyto advisor.

Plan your move to Dublin with a Flyto advisor

Frequently asked questions

Related moves

• Moving from Sydney to Dublin
• Moving from New York to Dublin
• Moving from Dubai to Dublin
• Moving from Paris to Dublin
• Moving to Ireland in 2026: The Complete Hub
• Moving to Cork

Sources

• Citizens Information — Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK
• Revenue — Moving to live in Ireland (Transfer of Residence)
• MyWelfare — Personal Public Service (PPS) Number
• Citizens Information — Tax residence and domicile in Ireland
• NDLS — Exchange a foreign driving licence
• gov.ie Pet Travel — bringing pets into Ireland
• GOV.UK — Living in Ireland