Meet the Irish who moved to the world’s most habitable cities: ‘It is a tradition change in comparison with us mad Celts’

As a resident of Vienna for 20 years, bar proprietor Michelle Paton (52), can attest to why Vienna is the world’s most habitable metropolis. Dancing, singing, wine consuming, beer making and schnitzels are all highlights of dwelling in Vienna.

Ms Paton, initially from Galway, was working for the Irish Embassy and dwelling in Beijing when she was despatched to Vienna. She finally met her husband there and began a household.

“It may be slightly reserved. Form of a dramatic tradition change in comparison with us mad Celts,” Ms Patton mentioned. 

“Nevertheless it’s simply to start with as a result of it’s slightly harder to get to know the Viennese, however while you get to know them they’re unbelievable. They’re your pals for all times. Very trustworthy, very reliable and lot of enjoyable.”

Choices for actions and occasions in Vienna are seemingly countless. Free leisure, bicycle paths across the metropolis, open-air swimming pools in each district, climbing within the Vienna woods or a stroll by way of the vineyards are just some methods Ms Paton mentioned individuals spend their time within the metropolis.

“We appear to have a nicer, extra relaxed social life right here than in Eire,” she mentioned. 

“It’s not all work, work, work and everybody can afford to exit for meals and drinks. Doesn’t matter how a lot cash you’ve, it’s only a social factor and everybody can afford it.”

Housing and the price of dwelling in Vienna can also be very inexpensive in comparison with the present scenario in different elements of the world.

“The flats we get for a similar dimension and identical proximity to town I might say are 1 / 4 of the worth of Dublin,” she mentioned.

“There’s a very strict lease management the place you’re solely allowed to cost a certain quantity per sq. meter relying on the district and whether or not it’s a brand new or an outdated constructing.”

2. Copenhagen, Denmark: ‘Copenhagen is pricey and the climate is unpredictable – however it’s very secure’

Celine Byrne (41), initially from Malin, Co Donegal, has lived in Copenhagen since 2009 and works as a communications officer on the Worldwide Council for the Exploration of the Sea. She moved to Copenhagen after assembly Daniel, a Dane, in 2003.

“Copenhagen is a really costly metropolis, we pay actually excessive taxes, and the climate is as unpredictable as again dwelling,” Ms Byrne mentioned.

However she mentioned there’s a good work-life stability.

“Copenhagen is very well designed as a metropolis for individuals to stay in and it’s a actually secure place. Areas are multi-use, you’ll find trampolines in footpaths, playgrounds on high of multi-storey automobile parks and ski slopes working down the aspect of energy crops,” she mentioned.

She can also be fairly keen on the transportation system and says that there isn’t any want for a automobile.

“Most individuals cycle in all places all 12 months spherical. It’s a far cry from me biking round Dublin within the nineties battling with buses for a little bit of the highway. It will be laborious to discover a avenue right here that doesn’t have a motorcycle path,” she mentioned.

Regardless of the excessive taxes, Ms Byrne appreciates the well being companies they pay for.

“The well being service is free for everybody, which suggests you by no means fear about having to pay to go to the docs or hospital. You simply go.”

As for work-life stability, Ms Byrne says Copenhagen is rather more understanding that Eire.

“I discover work tradition to be rather more relaxed over right here and on a Friday, you’ll usually end by three to hitch colleagues for a Friday bar. Danes, on the entire, are a reasonably relaxed bunch,” she mentioned.

Though nothing appears to match to Irish hospitality.

“They don’t actually like to speak to strangers, not the best way that we might are likely to have a full-on dialog with anybody we meet all through the day,” she mentioned.

“Folks at live shows are lots much less wild than Irish concertgoers. You might be more likely to be shushed or advised to cease dancing.”

When requested if it was a very good place to stay as a foreigner, Ms Byrne mentioned: “Studying Danish is sort of troublesome so the truth that most Danes converse superb English makes it a lot simpler. Making associates with the Danes is usually a little troublesome if you don’t put within the work. However as soon as you might be settled in, dwelling right here may be very straightforward – and the longer you keep, the more durable it’s to consider leaving.

“There’s a massive worldwide group and there’s a massive Irish group. if you happen to miss a little bit of Irish tradition, we have now an excellent GAA membership (Copenhagen GAA), Pop Up Gaeltachts, and conventional music periods.

“Now, you might be asking me about Copenhagen simply because the summer time is kicking in, town is alive with the Tour de France Grand Depart and the Jazz Pageant – maybe if you happen to come again to me in January, I could also be extra subdued.”

3. Zurich, Switzerland: ‘The excessive salaries make it attainable to stay right here pretty comfortably’

Alix Kennedy (60), initially from Kesh, Co Fermanagh, has lived in Zurich since 2011 and finally settled in 2013.

Since then, she has labored as a private assistant/home supervisor for a world household. She left Eire when she was 20 and has lived in lots of nations earlier than settling in Zurich, together with the USA, UK, Belgium, New Zealand, France, Italy and Dubai.

Ms Kennedy lives in Adliswill, a small village within the outskirts of Zurich.

“The general public transport by way of Switzerland is fabulous and as a resident, I profit from half value transport on trains, trams, buses and the lake boats/ferries,” she mentioned.

“The excessive salaries make it attainable to stay right here pretty comfortably, even when costs for nearly every thing are very excessive.”

As for her work-life stability, Ms Kennedy believes Zurich offers a pleasant stability between the 2.

“I work laborious however I even have the time to socialize and journey. The town organises fabulous festivals and parades yearly and there are a lot of celebrated museums and live shows,” she mentioned.

“There are various Irish pubs, that are all the time the perfect locations to satisfy fellow Irish individuals and watch Irish sports activities and help Irish music performers.”

Regardless of Switzerland having 4 nationwide languages; German, French, Romansh and Italian, Ms Kennedy says it’s not a necessity to know them fluently.

“It will be helpful to talk German right here however it’s not important. I converse French and a few Italian and these are very helpful when travelling across the nation.”

When requested if she would advocate Zurich to different Irish residents, Ms Kennedy mentioned: “I’ve met extra Irish individuals right here in Zurich, outdoors Eire, than anyplace else I’ve lived on the planet. It’s nice to get collectively for sporting occasions and St Patrick’s day. I believe it’s an excellent place to stay for Europeans, though I do know it may be extra difficult for non-Europeans.

“I might positively advocate it to different Irish individuals – it’s an excellent base for travelling all through the remainder of Europe, particularly by automobile or campervan.”

4. Calgary, Canada: ‘I got here to Calgary to go to some associates and I used to be utterly hooked.’ 

After first visiting Canada, Ciara Lane (36), described it as being like 5 totally different nations in a single with such quite a lot of locations.

“I got here out to Calgary to go to some associates right here and so they took me out to the mountains and actually, that was it, I used to be utterly hooked,” she mentioned.

“To have the ability to stay so near the Rockies was too tempting to show down so I made the transfer a couple of months later.”

Ms Lane is initially from Dundalk, however after making this massive transfer in 2011 she has no plans of leaving Calgary.

She works as an athlete companies co-ordinator at Mount Royal College in Calgary, overseeing tutorial advising and steerage, athletic scholarships and eligibility laws. Whereas this job encourages a wholesome work-life stability, she additionally provides credit score to Calgary’s group.

“For me although, I do assume that my high quality of life improved massively once I moved to Calgary,” she mentioned.

“There’s positively a vibe within the metropolis that promotes being lively and dwelling a wholesome life-style, particularly in the summertime.”

“With the mountains solely an hour away, it is simple to entry unbelievable climbing trails, mountain climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, and a great deal of different stuff. Then within the winter you simply swap over to snowboarding or snowboarding, cross-country snowboarding, and winter climbing so actually, there’s stuff to do all 12 months spherical which is cool. Banff, Lake Louise and Sunshine Village are all inside a few hours of Calgary and there is some unimaginable snowboarding on the market.”

The attraction of dwelling in Calgary doesn’t cease on the general life-style and alternatives.

“I might say the price of dwelling is sort of affordable in comparison with different locations the place I’ve lived,” Ms Lane mentioned. 

“It appears far more achievable right here to have the ability to afford to pay your lease, run your automobile, get your groceries, exit to socialize with associates or take off on a mountain journey and nonetheless be capable to save slightly on the identical time.

“Do not get me unsuitable, Calgary is not resistant to the large improve in the price of dwelling that we’re all experiencing proper now, however I do really feel like there are different elements of Canada which have been more durable hit in the case of the price of gasoline, lease hikes, power invoice will increase and issues like that. In comparison with Vancouver and Toronto I believe Calgary continues to be in a fairly OK spot in the case of with the ability to handle the price of dwelling.”

5. Vancouver, Canada: ‘You simply have every thing in your doorstep’

Initially from Dublin, Aodhán Ó Riain (27) and his accomplice have been craving journey and made the transfer to Vancouver.

“After we received right here, we have been slightly bit iffy and form of getting used to it,2 Mr Ó Riain mentioned. 

“There was positively tradition shock, I suppose, greater than we anticipated. It’s simply you’ve every thing in your doorstep. Seashores so it’s like Spain right here in the summertime, after which in winter we go snowboarding. The life-style has saved us right here.”

Along with having fun with the seashore and mountains, he takes benefit of the many patios through the summer time season. Just like the climate, the social scene additionally differs from what many are used to in Eire.

“I’ve heard individuals say that Vancouver is usually a lonely metropolis. They discover it’s form of laborious to satisfy individuals,” he mentioned.”

“I don’t agree and I believe if you happen to put your self on the market you will meet individuals. That may be a distinction perhaps, we simply could be fairly a bit extra social. That’s most likely a really Irish factor.”

Whereas working his personal monetary advising observe, MR Ó Riain tends to work lengthy hours. He doesn’t imagine this displays on the tradition of town.

“I don’t essentially imagine this however I’ve had Irish associates say that it looks like in Canada or North America some individuals are very profession obsessed and you reside to work,” he mentioned.

“The place in Eire, you extra work to stay and also you’re not too obsessed together with your profession. I might take that with a pinch of salt and would say it’s form of related. It simply is dependent upon you as an individual and what you do.”

He mentioned the price of dwelling in Vancouver is similar to Dublin. Though when he first moved, the tipping tradition in North America required some adjusting to.

6. Geneva, Switzerland: ‘You possibly can plan issues right here with the climate’

Former president of The Geneva Irish Affiliation, Oliver Donagher (46), has been a resident of Geneva, Switzerland for 10 years. Mr Donagher first made the transfer from Donegal when he was requested to hitch an organization in Geneva and by no means returned.

There are various constructive facets to dwelling within the Economist Intelligence Unit’s quantity six ‘most habitable metropolis’, however a couple of caught out to Mr Donagher.

He describes Geneva as a peaceful and quiet metropolis with a big combination of nationalities. With nearly all of the ‘locals’ being expats, they’ve created their very own sense of group and town places on plenty of cultural occasions all year long.

“I would definitely say that the Swiss work to stay versus stay to work. We work laborious right here however we additionally get to benefit from the metropolis very a lot and what it has to supply by way of actions from Lake Geneva proper on our doorstep to going as much as the Swiss Alps or the French. Generally I believe individuals have a great work to life stability,” Mr Donagher mentioned.

With Lake Geneva proper subsequent to town, it brings plenty of distinctive alternatives for actions outdoors of labor.

“There’s all types of actions to do, whether or not it’s down by the lake, swimming or crusing or any of the water sports activities you are able to do. There’s positively extra opportunitie,” he mentioned.

“The climate performs an enormous half in that as a result of you possibly can plan issues right here with the climate. You get your 4 seasons in a 12 months, versus again dwelling in Eire you get 4 seasons in at some point. The summer time months are very good and extremely popular.”

Though, these spectacular traits of Geneva are mirrored on this space’s dwelling bills.

“Geneva is likely one of the most costly cities on the planet to stay in, I’m undecided it’s rating however it’s within the high 10,” he mentioned.

“On common, the price of dwelling is pricey. Although it’s actually mirrored within the minimal wage, which is roughly €4,500 to €5,000 a month.”.

7. Frankfurt, Germany: ‘The advantages of dwelling listed below are second to none’

After what was imagined to bey a two-week journey to Frankfurt, Ali McNamara (37) is now approaching her five-year anniversary of dwelling within the metropolis and loving it.

The profession and life-style alternatives in Frankfurt are what makes Frankfurt so interesting to many.

“The life-style right here may be very oriented in direction of a sporty particular person,” Ms Mcnamara mentioned. 

“Mountain climbing and bouldering are an enormous a part of German tradition. They have been form of issues that I used to do in Eire as effectively, however I might be the odd particular person out going.”

After a spur-of-the-moment determination to maneuver to her firm’s workplace in Frankfurt – with out figuring out any German – Ms McNamara has landed a job as a professor within the Technical College in Aschaffenburg.

“The advantages of dwelling listed below are second to none,” she mentioned.

“You don’t get half of the amenities or alternatives in Eire that you simply do right here. The alternatives listed below are unimaginable.

“Initially I had a really Irish angle in direction of work and I used to be very work targeted. My high quality of life far higher exceeds what I anticipated as soon as I embraced the German tradition.”

Ms McNamara defined that the price of dwelling is cheaper compared to Dublin. Meals, housing and drinks all stand out as being rather more inexpensive.

“I’ve a one-bedroom very nice condominium for $790 I used to be renting a room in Dublin with mould on the ceiling within the toilet for €700. That was in a extremely good central location however I don’t need to make myself sick due to dwelling in an condominium due to the requirements are simply not the identical.”

8. Toronto, Canada: ‘It is rather a lot a piece laborious, play laborious form of metropolis’

Enterprise proprietor David Irwin moved to Toronto, Canada. He determined he needed a change after working in a financial institution for practically eight years in Dublin. 

David labored for the Metropolis Financial institution of Eire and after coping with the 2008 crash he simply “couldn’t take it anymore”.

The Dublin native mentioned there are professionals and cons to in all places, however that compared to Eire, there are higher rewards working in Toronto.

Earlier than beginning his enterprise, Mr Irwin labored in a tech firm after first shifting to Toronto.

“Once I first got here to Toronto there was a stark distinction between the immigrants working and the Canadians working, however that’s not essentially reality in all circumstances. There was simply extra drive from the immigrants that I interacted with and that might be Irish, Korean, individuals from throughout,” he mentioned.

“There was a drive to make slightly bit extra out of our conditions, however I discover that in Toronto that was slightly bit extra welcome than in Dublin.

“In Dublin laborious work is rewarded with extra laborious work, whereas in Toronto the employers have been slightly bit extra stunned.

“In terms of work-life stability, it was very a lot a piece laborious, play laborious form of metropolis and everyone was working very laborious. Whereas in Dublin it was simply work laborious, work laborious, they by no means let up.”

Though Toronto may be very costly, based on Mr Irwin, he mentioned you usually tend to obtain higher wages when working in Toronto and that pay rises are frequent.

“Toronto continues to be a troublesome metropolis to stay in affordability clever, however the wages themselves are greater than in Eire,” he mentioned.

“The comparability could be I labored for Metropolis Financial institution for over seven years, granted this was publish ‘08, however I couldn’t get a elevate in that job for the eight years I labored for them and once I got here right here wages have elevated year-on-year.

“Prices are pretty the identical to Eire, however wages are greater.”

9. Amsterdam, Netherlands: ‘It’s superb – I might advocate Amsterdam to anybody’

Hayley Ryan moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands in August 2019, only some months earlier than a worldwide pandemic started.

The 24-year-old had by no means been to town earlier than however had associates dwelling there so moved over on a whim.

“I had by no means been to Amsterdam, however I had a couple of associates dwelling right here and I heard actually good issues, so I simply mentioned I’m going to chew the bullet and see what it was like over right here,” Ms Ryan mentioned.

She secured a job in Molly Malones Irish Pub and has been working there since.

She loves how tourism-oriented town is and mentioned it has been an excellent alternative to satisfy individuals from everywhere in the world.

“There are individuals from in all places and since it’s a metropolis based mostly primarily round tourism, it’s like a hop-on, hop-off tour, there are individuals going and coming each single day,” she mentioned. 

“Working in a bar, anybody can stroll within the door, you by no means know who you’re going to satisfy. It’s a very easy metropolis to be social in as a result of there are all the time individuals searching for different individuals to do stuff with and exit with.

“I’m from Limerick initially, so it’s form of a sufficiently small metropolis, everybody is aware of everybody, so it’s a little bit of a buzz being over right here and being slightly bit nameless as a result of it’s such an enormous metropolis.”

Considered one of Ms Ryan’s favorite issues about shifting to Amsterdam has been the expat group of different nationalities from everywhere in the world who stay there.

“I don’t assume expats give themselves sufficient credit score for uping and leaving and shifting to a special nation as a result of it’s a laborious factor to do,” she mentioned.

“You might be completely getting out of your consolation zone, you’re most likely going someplace the place you don’t know that many individuals, you could have by no means been there earlier than.

“The expat group actually lean on one another in that sense as a result of, particularly throughout Covid, plenty of us weren’t capable of go dwelling, so the closest factor we needed to our household was our associates. So an essential a part of being over right here is having good associates or colleagues round you.”

Ms Ryan believes individuals shouldn’t be blinded by Amsterdam making the checklist of one of the crucial habitable cities on the planet, whereas she loves Amsterdam, she explains that each one locations include their difficulties too.

“I might hate for individuals to have a false sense of pondering it’s simply this superb place as a result of it’s laborious to settle and it’s laborious to get all your geese in a row,” she mentioned.

“But when you’ll be able to do it and in the best way the Dutch such as you to do it, if you happen to observe their guidelines, it’s superb and I might advocate Amsterdam to anybody.”

10. Osaka, Japan and Melbourne, Australia (tie): ‘I wouldn’t advise anybody to return over to Melbourne unprepared’

Shane Doyle, initially from Limerick Metropolis, moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2013 after turning into redundant from his job and has lived there since.

After dwelling down underneath for practically 9 years, Shane has adjusted effectively to his new life and though he agrees that Melbourne is a habitable metropolis, it is vitally costly.

“Australia may be very costly to stay in, in the mean time I received two full time jobs. I received a full-time job Monday-Friday in development from 8am-4pm and that job solely pays my payments after which my second job I’m doing is simply to get that more money,” he mentioned.

“In case you go in for a pint it’s going to value you $16 right here, which is loopy.

“I actually don’t know the way individuals working in jobs just like the service station, I don’t know the way they afford to stay over right here.

“I wouldn’t advise anybody to return over right here unprepared, if you happen to’re going to maneuver right here be sure you have the funds and don’t come over to Australia with no job.”

Regardless that the price of dwelling is astronomically costly, Shane praised Australia for its healthcare system.

“I’m a transplant affected person and the healthcare over right here compared to Eire is one million miles higher, it’s so good over right here,” he mentioned.

“When my well being received unhealthy over right here, I didn’t have any authorized standing within the nation in any respect, however no one ever questioned it actually.

“Eire and Australia have a reciprocal rights settlement so if you happen to’re Australian and also you’re in Eire and also you get sick, Eire pays on your care and vice versa.

“I’ve spent plenty of time in hospital again dwelling and people guys do their finest with the system they’ve, and our nurses are the perfect on the planet, however I’m seeing increasingly of them over right here in hospitals, each second one in all them is an Irish lady.”