How Much Does A Trip To Ireland Cost? A Guide With Examples

If you’re wondering how much is a trip to Ireland, we’ll cut to the chase!

The average trip to Ireland cost, based on a 5-day trip for two people flying from the USA in June is:    

• Budget: €2,523/$2,679 (or €1,261/$1,340 per person)
• Mid-range: €4,281/$4,545 (or €2,141/$2,273 per person)
• Luxury: €6,641/$7,051 (or €3,321/$3,525 per person)

In the guide below, you’ll find both the avoidable and unavoidable costs you need to consider along with several detailed examples of real-life trips.

Some quick need-to-knows about how much a trip to Ireland costs

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There are several factors to consider when trying to determine how much for a trip to Ireland. Take 20 seconds to read the points below as they’ll get you up-to-speed quickly:

1. You can spend anywhere from €89/$95 to €150/$159 per day

There really is no average cost of a trip to Ireland – every trip and every traveller is different. For example, some of our younger readers might be happy to stay in a hostel while some of our older readers won’t. Some people prefer to take organised tours while others like to rent a car and go it alone. All of this impacts your Ireland trip cost massively.

2. You’ll have avoidable and unavoidable costs

Flights, accommodation and food are all unavoidable costs. Now, the cost of each can go up and down depending on 1, the time of year you visit and 2, whether you choose budget, mid-level or luxury options. Some avoidable costs are the likes of drinks in pubs, souvenirs and car rental.

3. What you spend ultimately comes down to you

As is the case with any country, you can do Ireland on a budget if you need to. You just need to be careful when planning your trip to Ireland to make sure you stick within the budget you have to play with.

4. Always add a safety buffer

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of how much you can expect to spend in Ireland. However, please note that it’s always worth adding a buffer of 10-15% to your overall budget just to be safe. Unexpected costs will always arise.

The main things to consider when trying to estimate an Ireland trip cost

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Many different variables come into play when trying to figure out a trip to Ireland cost.

Below, we’re going to show you costs for the likes of flights, public transport etc. We’ll use Dublin prices, as it’s one of the most expensive parts of the country.

1. Trip to Ireland cost #1: Flights

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The first thing to consider when coming up with an average cost of a trip to Ireland is the price of flying into one of the airports in Ireland.

The cost of flights will vary depending on where you’re flying from, when you fly, the type of seat you book, baggage, etc. Here are some sample prices:

Example 1: Flying from JFK in the USA

• December: From €515/$546
• March: From €415/$440
• June: From €585/$621

Example 2: Flying from Frankfurt in Europe

• December: From €124/$132
• March: From €134/$142
• June: From €127/$145

2. Trip to Ireland cost #2: Accommodation

Your choice of accommodation can have a massive impact on the overall cost of your trip to Ireland. For this section, we’ll be looking at accommodation prices in Dublin.

We’ll use a Friday night and the price will be based on two people sharing. Please note that prices are likely to change – you can browse the latest prices here (affiliate link):

1. Budget

• December: From €66/$70 per night
• March: From €93/$99 per night
• June: From €104/$110 per night

2. Mid-range

• December: From €197/$208 per night
• March: From €174/$185 per night
• June: From €254/$270 per night

3. Luxury

• December: From €527/$559 per night
• March: From €548/$582 per night
• June: From €418/$444 per night

3. Trip to Ireland cost #3: Food and drink

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The cost of food and drink is another unavoidable element that can have an enormous impact on the cost for a trip to Ireland.

Location plays a role. For example, the price of a pint of Guinness in rural Donegal will be considerably cheaper than Dublin City.

The type of establishment also has a big impact (e.g. having lunch in a cafe vs a restaurant). Here are some sample costs based on Dublin prices:

1. Breakfast: Between €10/$10.60 and €15/$15.92

If you have breakfast included in your accommodation, happy days. If not, you can expect to pay between €10/$10.60 and €15/$15.92 in a pub or cafe.

2. Lunch: Between €15/$15.92 and €20/$21.22

Lunch (e.g. soup and a sandwich or an Irish stew) can cost between €15/$15.92 and €20/$21.22. If you’re looking to keep your Ireland trip cost down, buy items to make a packed lunch in a shop/store.

3. Dinner: Between €15/$15.92 to €25/$26.53

The cost of dinner varies hugely. If you opt for pub grub or a mid-range restaurant, allow between €15/$15.92 to €25/$26.53 for a drink and a main course. If you’re opting for higher-end restaurants, allow €60/$63.67 to €106.11 p/p.

4. Drinks: €5.50/$5.84 to €8/$8.49

Drinking every night can see the cost of a trip of Ireland skyrocket. In Dublin, you’ll now pay a minimum of €5.50/$5.84 for a Guinness, €8/$8.49 for a glass of wine and €8/$8.49 for a low-end whiskey.

4. Trip to Ireland cost #4: How you’ll get around

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There are several different ways of getting around Ireland (from rental car to private group tours) and they vary a fair bit in terms of price.

How you get around will not only effect the cost of a trip to Ireland but it’ll have a profound effect on your overall experience. Here’s an overview:

1. Rental car

Renting a car in Ireland can be costly but it gives you a lot of flexibility. There are a number of costs to consider with a rental and driving in Ireland in general.

Below, you’ll find prices for a 5-day trip in April 2024. The prices are for an economy car that seats four and that has an automatic transmission (note: prices may change so see latest rental costs here):

• Cost of the rental: €403/$428
• Insurance: €51/$54
• Fuel: €144/$153 (€1.80 per litre for a 1,000 km trip)
• Tolls: Allow €17/$18

2. Buses

Buses tend to come in two forms – the ones that operate within a county, e.g. Galway, and ones that travel between counties. Here are some price examples:

• The Dublin Leap Visitor Card: Get unlimited travel in Dublin. 3 days costs €16/$17
• Dublin Bus Fares: From €1.70/$1.81 to €3/$3.19
• Dublin to Sligo: €21/$22.30 (single), €29.50/$31.33 (return)
• Cork to Galway: €21/$22.30 (single), €34/$36.11 (return)

3. Trains

If you’re exploring Ireland without a car, the chances are you’ll take a train or three. Here are some sample prices:

• Dublin to Belfast: From €16/$17
• Dublin to Cork: From €21/$22.30
• Dublin to Galway: From €14/$14.87

4. Organised tours

Organised tour prices vary massively. We have seen several 5-day tours for this year that cost in the region of €1,155/$1,227.

This includes your transport, 5 nights in high end hotels, numerous paid attractions, 3 dinners and 1 lunch. You’ll need to add in your flights, other meals, any drinks and tips.

5. Trip to Ireland cost #5: Attractions

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There’s plenty of things to do in Ireland and, while there are endless places that are free to visit, other attractions will have an admission fee.

This varies quite a lot depending on the attraction. But, to give you a rough idea of what to expect, we’ll go over some of the more popular places below.

1. State owned attractions

Some of the most popular attractions in Ireland are run by the state and, in general, prices tend to be reasonable.

The likes of Dublin Castle, the Rock of Cashel and Kilmainham Gaol are all good value at €8/$8.49 for an adult ticket.

2. Privately owned attractions

There are a number of other privately owned attractions that are well worth a visit on your trip to Ireland. Tickets for these tend to be more expensive.

An adult ticket for Kylemore Abbey, for example, costs €16/$16.97 while admission to the  Guinness Storehouse costs €26/$27.57.

3. Organised full and 1/2 day tours

You can find countless organised day trips throughout Ireland. They typically offer a comfortable coach journey that takes in a clatter of attractions before dropping you back where you started.

For example, you could be staying in Dublin and you take a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher or the Causeway Coast. Expect to pay from €75/$78.47 for these tours (browse prices here).

6. Trip to Ireland cost #6: Travel insurance

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The second last variable in your trip to Ireland cost is travel insurance. There are any number of things that can cause you to cancel your trip altogether, but it’s also worth covering yourself for any issues that might happen while you’re away.

A decent travel insurance policy will give you peace of mind and ensure that should the worst happen, you’ll be protected. For shorter trips, you can easily find travel insurance for less than €20/$21.21 (covering two people), with an excess of around €100/$ to €150/$.

Annual cover typically starts at around €30/$31.81 but can cost more than €100/$106.05 depending on the level of cover and the amount of excess you’re willing to pay.

7. Trip to Ireland cost #7: Souvenirs

Now, if you’re trying to cut the cost of your Ireland vacation cost, avoid souvenirs altogether.

However, if you want to bring a bit of Ireland home with you, here are some examples using Carroll’s Irish Gift prices:

• Claddagh ring: From €15/$15.91
• Magnets: From €5/$15.91
• Aran jumper: From €49/$51.96

8. Trip to Ireland cost #8: Safety buffer

As mentioned earlier, there is no ‘average cost of a trip to Ireland’. Unfortunately, many travel blogs claim otherwise. The result is that people very often underestimate their Ireland vacation cost.

It’s for that reason that we’d always recommend adding 15% to whatever figure you come up with.

For example, if you estimate your Ireland trip cost will work out around €3,000/$3,181 add an additional €450/$477 on top to cover unexpected costs.

Calculating the average cost of a trip to Ireland for 2 people and solo travellers

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Now that we’ve got an idea of how much you can expect each of the major elements to cost, we can calculate the average cost of a trip to Ireland for 2 people and solo travellers flying from the US.

Of course, everyone will have different experiences, so the following budgets are a rough guideline only. These examples use a departure date of June (peak season).

1. Budget trip for one person:

• Flights from JFK: €415/$440
• Public transport: €122/$130*
• Accommodation: €520/$552**
• Food: €40/$42 per day
• Drinks: None
• Tours/attractions: €80/$85***
• Travel Insurance: €20/$21.21

TOTAL trip to Ireland cost with 15% buffer: €1,561 / $1,658

* Two train journeys at €21/$22.30 each and five bus journeys at an average of €16/$17 each
** €104/$110 per night average
*** 5 state run attractions at €8 each and one ½ day tour at €40

2. Budget trip for two people:

• Flights from JFK: €830/$880
• Public transport: €244/$260*
• Accommodation: €520/$552**
• Food: €80/$84 per day
• Drinks: None
• Tours/attractions: €160/$170***
• Travel Insurance: €40/$42.42

TOTAL cost of a trip to Ireland for 2 with a 15% buffer: €2,523/$2,679 (or €1,261/$1,340 per person)

* Train journeys at €21/$22.30 each and five bus journeys at an average of €16/$17 each
** €104/$110 per night average
*** 5 state run attractions at €8 each and one ½ day tour at €40

FAQs about a trip to Ireland cost

We get emails and DMs asking how much does a trip to Ireland cost constantly, and it can be a tricky question to answer as there are so many variables to consider.

I’m going to pop in the most common Ireland trip cost questions that we receive below, but shout in the comments if you have one we haven’t tackled.

Keith O'Hara

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 34 years and has spent most of the last 10 years creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.