Average rent
in Ireland
National median rents, county breakdowns, affordability trends, and supply context — sourced from the RTB Rent Index and Daft, 2012–2025.
Last updated: 31 December 2025·RTB Rent Index, Q4 2025
National median rent
€1,800/mo
+6.2% YoY
Dublin median rent
€2,300/mo
€500 above national
YoY rent change
+6.2%
National, 2025
Rent-to-income
34.2%
Of gross avg wage
Rents in Ireland, 2012–2025
Median monthly rent, national and Dublin. Brief pandemic stabilisation in 2020; supply shortages have driven sustained growth since 2021.
Median monthly rent
National vs. Dublin, annual median, 2012–2025
Source: RTB Rent Index — new tenancy registrations
The national median rent has risen from €850/month in 2012 to €1,800/month in 2025 — an increase of 112% over thirteen years. The Dublin premium stands at €500/month above the national median.
Rent by property size
National vs. Dublin median monthly rent by number of bedrooms. The Dublin premium grows significantly with property size.
Median rent by bedrooms
Source: RTB Rent Index, 2025
Breakdown
Studio
Dublin: €1,700
€1,350
+4.2%
1-bed
Dublin: €2,050
€1,600
+5.8%
2-bed
Dublin: €2,450
€1,900
+6.4%
3-bed
Dublin: €2,900
€2,200
+7.1%
4-bed+
Dublin: €3,500
€2,700
+5.9%
Rent by county
All 26 counties ranked by median monthly rent. The 'vs national' column shows how each county compares to the €1,800 national median.
| County↕ | Median Rent /mo↓ | YoY Change↕ | vs National↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| DublinLeinster | €2,300 | +5.2% | +27.8% |
| WicklowLeinster | €1,950 | +6.8% | +8.3% |
| KildareLeinster | €1,850 | +7.4% | +2.8% |
| CorkMunster | €1,850 | +8.2% | +2.8% |
| MeathLeinster | €1,750 | +8.1% | -2.8% |
| GalwayConnacht | €1,650 | +9.4% | -8.3% |
| LouthLeinster | €1,550 | +7.9% | -13.9% |
| LimerickMunster | €1,500 | +9.1% | -16.7% |
| WexfordLeinster | €1,350 | +6.4% | -25.0% |
| KilkennyLeinster | €1,300 | +5.8% | -27.8% |
| KerryMunster | €1,250 | +7.6% | -30.6% |
| CarlowLeinster | €1,200 | +6.2% | -33.3% |
| WaterfordMunster | €1,200 | +8.8% | -33.3% |
| ClareMunster | €1,200 | +7.2% | -33.3% |
| LaoisLeinster | €1,150 | +7.0% | -36.1% |
| WestmeathLeinster | €1,150 | +5.9% | -36.1% |
| OffalyLeinster | €1,100 | +6.5% | -38.9% |
| SligoConnacht | €1,100 | +8.9% | -38.9% |
| TipperaryMunster | €1,050 | +6.3% | -41.7% |
| MayoConnacht | €1,050 | +7.8% | -41.7% |
| DonegalUlster | €1,000 | +8.5% | -44.4% |
| LongfordLeinster | €950 | +8.4% | -47.2% |
| RoscommonConnacht | €950 | +7.1% | -47.2% |
| CavanUlster | €950 | +7.4% | -47.2% |
| MonaghanUlster | €950 | +6.8% | -47.2% |
| LeitrimConnacht | €900 | +9.2% | -50.0% |
| Source: RTB Rent Index — new tenancy registrations, 2025. Click column headers to sort. | |||
Rent as a share of income, 2012–2025
Monthly rent as a percentage of gross average annual wage (CSO). Above 30% is the widely-cited affordability stress threshold.
Rent-to-income ratio
National median rent ÷ CSO average annual wage × 100. Dotted line = 30% affordability threshold.
Source: RTB Rent Index + CSO Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey (EHECS)
2025 ratio
34.2%
2012 ratio (trough)
20.8%
Avg annual wage 2025
€63,200
Crossed 30% threshold
2023
Rental supply context
Why rents keep rising — a chronic shortage of available properties is the structural driver.
Properties available
2,800
National snapshot, Daft
Vacancy rate
0.9%
Rental vacancy, CSO
RPZ areas
53
Local electoral areas
Renters in RPZ
72%
Of all private renters
With only 2,800 properties available to rent nationally and a vacancy rate of just 0.9%, Ireland's rental market remains one of the tightest in Europe. New supply has been constrained by build-to-rent project cancellations, investor exit, and planning delays — structural factors unlikely to resolve quickly.
How these figures are calculated
Primary data source
All rent figures are sourced from the RTB Rent Index, published quarterly by the Residential Tenancies Board. The RTB index covers new tenancy registrations — it reflects the rent agreed at the start of a new tenancy, not the rent currently paid by long-term tenants.
Median vs mean
We report the median monthly rent rather than the mean. The median is less sensitive to luxury properties and more representative of what most renters pay. Mean rents are typically 5–15% higher than medians.
Rent-to-income ratio
Calculated as: (median monthly rent × 12) ÷ CSO average annual gross wage. The CSO figure is from the Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey (EHECS), published annually. This gives the proportion of a gross average salary required to pay the median rent.
Supply figures
Rental listing counts are sourced from the Daft.ie Rental Report, which tracks the number of properties available to rent on a given date. Vacancy rate is from CSO Census and housing statistics. RPZ counts are from the RTB and DHPLG.
Update frequency
This page is updated quarterly following each RTB Rent Index release. Data on this page covers the period to 31 December 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average rent in Ireland in 2025?+
The median monthly rent in Ireland in 2025 is €1,800, based on new tenancy registrations from the RTB Rent Index. The mean (average) rent is typically somewhat higher due to high-value properties. The median better represents what most renters actually pay.
What is the average rent in Dublin?+
The median monthly rent in Dublin in 2025 is €2,300, approximately 28% above the national median. Dublin accounts for the largest share of the national rental market by volume of registrations.
How much has rent increased in Ireland?+
Irish rents have risen 6.2% year-on-year in 2025. Over the longer term, the national median has more than doubled since 2012, when the median stood at €850/month. In Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), annual increases are capped, but the cap applies only to existing tenancies — new let rents are unregulated.
What is the cheapest county to rent in Ireland?+
Based on 2025 RTB data, Leitrim, Roscommon, Cavan, and Monaghan consistently record the lowest median rents, typically in the €900–€950/month range. These counties are significantly below the national median and represent the most affordable rental markets in the country.
What are Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs)?+
Rent Pressure Zones are designated areas where annual rent increases are capped. As of 2025, there are 53 RPZ local electoral areas, covering approximately 72% of private renters. In RPZs, rent increases cannot exceed general inflation (HICP) or 2%, whichever is lower. New tenancies can still be set at market rate.
What data source is used for these rent statistics?+
All rent data is sourced from the RTB Rent Index, published quarterly by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The RTB index is based on new tenancy registrations, making it one of the most reliable measures of actual rents paid rather than asking prices. Rental listing counts reference the Daft.ie Rental Report. Wage data is from the CSO Earnings, Hours and Employment Costs Survey (EHECS).