WHY is Ireland so expensive??

avalon68

ardmacha wrote: »

This is always stated and it implies that prices in small countries are inevitably more expensive than big ones and I do not believe that this is true, especially when we are in a large Union like the EU. Is Slovakia inevitably more expensive than Poland or is Estonia more expensive than Sweden?

.

How come that you were able to get a job in a university in America so?

Because I worked hard and am excellent at what I do. But I find myself struggling to keep up with the high standards here......its the first time in my academic life that I actually feel challenged...and at almost 30 years of age that is not a good thing! I think you would actually have to experience working within both systems to appreciate "the great divide"

cheesehead

Couple of points. Regarding university systems, I've matriculated both at NUI-Maynooth and University of Notre Dame. Completely different systems (continual assessment/testing/grading at ND versus "better start studying before they mow the grass in Spring" at NUI-Maynooth. Not sure one system is better than the other - just very different. I enjoyed/learned in both systems.

Regarding cost of living in the US. Incredibly wide variability in cost of living in the US. Coastal cities and surrounding areas generally much more expensive to live in versus what is referred to in the US as "flyover" country - the heartland/Midwest/regions of the South. As others have stated, much is dependent on your occupation. Personally, having moved from NYC area to Wisconsin (hence Cheesehead moniker), I would say it's 25%-30% cheaper overall living in Wisconsin. Much like moving from Dublin to Donegal I imagine.

Spudmonkey

murphaph wrote: »

Steak in Europe is probably better quality and healthier but tastes worse than in the states lol! The hormones that make it taste so good and juicy are all illegal in the EU

I've heard from a friend that after watching Food, Inc. You'd never eat meat in the states again! God knows what you'd be eating...

dkd

maninasia wrote: »

Mentioning food again. American beef tastes good, corn fed, but it's a different taste than Irish. Irish beef is grass fed, it depends if you like that or not. But Irish beef is (in theory at least) a lot more natural and healthier as they are raised out doors on fresh grass most of the year. Growth hormone is banned in the EU also. There's a reason you can get 12oz steak for 11 bucks....it's mass produced factory style.

Good places to get food in Ireland are the pubs...they generally cook from fresh ingredients, good pricing and local favourites, especially carvery and buffet lunches and dinners. You won't find this in the UK for example where they are all chains owned by brewery companies and looking at every penny of cost. Look the same but at heart are very different! Many pubs in Ireland have quite good chefs in the kitchens.
Restaurants are getting cheaper in Ireland but still overpriced. Dublin and the major cities have all the ethnic restaurants...take your pick, they may not always be the most authentic but the same for the US.
The US has great restaurants but it's the quality of ingredients (i.e. not so fresh as have been trucked in from 1000s miles away often) and the use of too much processed food and sugar and salt that is the killer...e.g. desserts that are too sweet and take away the taste of the food, not balanced.

To reiterate...a place is only expensive according to what you earn....you need to see how much income you will get.

+1 but can I add an addendum

In England the beer in the pub serving the mass produced pap as food will often be hand crafted and excellent while the same can very rarely be said in Ireland.


As to the topic. Ireland is expensive due to central government policy! the lunatics took over the asylum in 1987, were beaten back briefly in 1992, did a deal that saw them back in their cages between 1994 and 1997, but have been firmly in control since. This is the only reason why Ireland is so expensive. If you are on the way to Europe OP my advice would be to learn another european language.

Head The Wall

cheesehead wrote: »

I would say it's 25%-30% cheaper overall living in Wisconsin. Much like moving from Dublin to Donegal I imagine.

Except they have motorways in Wisconsin

MaceFace

Spudmonkey wrote: »

I've heard from a friend that after watching Food, Inc. You'd never eat meat in the states again! God knows what you'd be eating...

Very true, but it is not just that movie. Jamie's Food Revolution shows some of the ingredients you get in your food there.

Food is much cheaper because standards are lower, mass production, and intense competition.

I think if you were to look at the bottom 20% earners of both countries, you would find that the bottom 20% of Irish earn significantly more than the bottom 20% of America.
There is a much bigger gap between richer and poorer in the US and this allows the middle to high income earners to reap the rewards of low cost labour.

Someone mentioned Wisconsin. A McDonalds worker starts on €4.77 ($6.50) an hour there, whereas here in Ireland, you are looking at about €10.

cheesehead

I agree, MaceFace, regarding the gap between rich and poor in the US. I've linked a nice article regarding one of the reasons for the gap:
http://article.nationalreview.com/430875/understanding-illegitimacy/robert-rector?page=1

Interesting thing about America, we've seen this type of "underclass" problem before. We're not the first generation puzzled about what to do about the "underclass". Please see very interesting linked article regarding a subject some on this board might be interested in "How Dagger John Hughes saved New York's Irish" : http://www.city-journal.org/html/7_2_a2.html

cardol

hinault wrote: »

This country is expensive.

We're an island, so it costs money to get product in and out of this country in terms of transport costs.
(for example, flights costs for every aircraft landing/taking off, when I worked in the industry back in 1999 were € 800.00 per flight).
When you include customs and excise duty tax on product at point of entry, you can see that costs quickly add up and that is BEFORE one has to factor other costs such as wages/rent/utility costs/V.A.T.

Other costs like electricity costs, for example, are high because there is currently a virtual monopoly on the supply of electricity in this country, so that explains that.

Costs for services here are higher, far higher than other European nations.
Why do teachers, most of whom are paid out of tax revenues, earn more here than in the U.K?
I don't know.
And you can apply that across all of the professions.
Why are hospital consultants paid €250k per annum when they're paid €100k in France?

There is something inherently wrong with a nation when services, across most professions in this country, are far more expensive than in other countries.

To answer your question, I can see how/why a product would be more expensive in the shops here.
I can see why utility costs are expensive (because there is a monoply).

The cost of services though is the one that gets me.
Our service costs are too high - but I do not know the reason for this.

I agree, the cost of living here in Ireland is very expensive. I returned to Ireland last year after 10 years in England and my first utility bills were a huge shock. I had expected them to be high and was being careful, but a 2-month utility bill here was as much as the yearly bill in England. Road Tax is also very expensive and that makes me cross because the roads are generally so bad. I don'yt know about booze in the pubs because I can't afford to go out:rolleyes: but generally look for the good deals in supermarkets and stay in with friends.
IMHO, I believe Ireland is so expensive because the Government have grown fond of a certain lifystyle and want to keep it;)

slimjimmc

cardol wrote: »

I agree, the cost of living here in Ireland is very expensive. I returned to Ireland last year after 10 years in England and my first utility bills were a huge shock. I had expected them to be high and was being careful, but a 2-month utility bill here was as much as the yearly bill in England. Road Tax is also very expensive and that makes me cross because the roads are generally so bad. I don'yt know about booze in the pubs because I can't afford to go out:rolleyes: but generally look for the good deals in supermarkets and stay in with friends.
IMHO, I believe Ireland is so expensive because the Government have grown fond of a certain lifystyle and want to keep it;)

Obviously you aren't aware we do not have Road Tax in Ireland. Instead we pay Motor Tax (basically same thing) which is not ring-fenced for roads but goes to central exchequer and helps pay for everything just like income tax, VAT, etc does. I hope you can now stay happy safe in the knowledge your money isn't being wasted. (hopefully)

cardol

slimjimmc wrote: »

Obviously you aren't aware we do not have Road Tax in Ireland. Instead we pay Motor Tax (basically same thing) which is not ring-fenced for roads but goes to central exchequer and helps pay for everything just like income tax, VAT, etc does. I hope you can now stay happy safe in the knowledge your money isn't being wasted. (hopefully)

Well Slimjimmc, that just goes to show how much more expensive Ireland is. Tax is already high, despite the generous:rolleyes: reduction of .5% to help people cope with the recession. If goods were cheaper, people wouldn't be looking to other countries like the UK to buy things like cars and/or electronics, and I can personally vouch for the lack of decent healthcare for specific illnesses in Ireland. Public Service depts are on go-slows for quite a while now and are refusing to answer their phones. Yet, you say money is being poured into these goods and services. This money like Income Tax, VAT, Motor Tax etc. that's going to the Government, how exactly is it being spent?
Haven't yet reached my optimum happiness point:cool: