Ireland’s New-Tenancy Rent Gap Is €326 a Month: What Movers Need to Know in 2026

Ireland’s latest official rent data gives renters a number worth checking before they hand back the keys to an existing home.

The quick answer

In Q1 2026, the national standardised average rent was €1,839 per month for new tenancies, compared with €1,513 for existing tenancies. That is a gap of €326 a month, or €3,912 over a year.

The new-tenancy figure was also rising faster: 9.1% year over year, compared with 4.2% for existing tenancies. The figures come from the RTB/ESRI Rent Index for Q1 2026, released on September 3, 2026.

This does not mean every renter who moves will automatically pay €326 more. The two indexes measure different groups of tenancies, and the figures are mix-adjusted to account for changes in the types of properties registered. But the gap is a strong decision signal: an existing tenancy may carry financial value that disappears when a household moves.

What the €326 gap actually measures

The New Tenancies Rent Index reflects rents agreed when a new tenancy begins. The Existing Tenancies Rent Index covers continuing tenancies of at least one year in duration.

The Q1 2026 report used 13,019 new tenancies and 46,510 existing tenancies. RTB describes the new-tenancy index as a measure of current market conditions, while the existing-tenancy index behaves more like a lagged indicator because older agreements continue into later periods.

Nationally, the standardised average new-tenancy rent was 21.6% higher than the existing-tenancy figure. That is useful context, but a household decision should still begin with the two actual rents available to that household.

Dublin makes the divide even clearer

For County Dublin, the Q1 2026 standardised average rent was €2,335 for new tenancies and €1,960 for existing tenancies.

That is a difference of:

€375 per month
€4,500 per year

These are index averages, not a guaranteed increase for the same property. Even so, a renter considering a move within Dublin should compare the current contract with the prospective rent before assuming that a better apartment, shorter commute or different neighbourhood carries only a small premium.

Moving cities can change the equation

The same official report provides standardised average rents for new tenancies in Ireland’s five cities:

City	Q1 2026 new-tenancy standardised average
Dublin City	€2,301
Galway City	€2,004
Limerick City	€1,921
Cork City	€1,903
Waterford City	€1,423

The gap between Dublin City and Waterford City is €878 per month, or €10,536 per year. Dublin City versus Cork City is €398 per month, or €4,776 per year.

Those differences are large enough to make relocation worth investigating, but they do not settle the decision. Income, commuting, job access, schools, support networks and the exact property available can all outweigh a city-level average.

That is why “Where is rent cheaper?” is not the final question. A better one is: “After I move, how much money and time will actually be left?”

A practical move-or-stay calculation

Before leaving an existing tenancy, calculate the first-year financial effect:

First-year extra cost = 12 × (new rent − current rent) + one-off moving costs + 12 × (new commute cost − old commute cost) − 12 × net monthly income gain

Consider a hypothetical renter paying €1,500 who is offered a new home at €1,850. Assume one-off moving and setup costs of €1,200, no income change, and a new commute that saves €100 a month.

12 × €350 + €1,200 − 12 × €100 = €4,200

In this scenario, moving costs an extra €4,200 in the first year. The move may still be worthwhile for more space, a safer location, better access to family or a major improvement in daily life. The calculation simply makes the price of that choice visible.

Why the March 2026 rental rules matter

From March 1, 2026, Ireland applies a national rent-control system to private tenancies and student-specific accommodation. In general, rent can be increased once per year by 2% or CPI inflation, whichever is lower.

For private tenancies created from March 1, 2026, resetting to market rent is allowed in specified circumstances, including certain new tenancies and at the end of a six-year tenancy cycle. For tenancies created before March 1, 2026, resetting to market rent is not allowed while that tenancy continues. There are limited exceptions to the annual cap, including qualifying newly built apartments and student accommodation.

The exact rules depend on the tenancy start date, property type and how the previous tenancy ended. Renters and landlords should check the RTB’s March 2026 rental-law guidance before relying on a general summary.

The four numbers to compare before moving

A sound decision starts with four household-specific numbers:

Current monthly rent, including any parking or service charges.
Prospective monthly rent for a property the household could actually secure.
Income and commuting change after the move.
One-off transition costs, including removals, cleaning, utility setup and temporary overlap between homes.

City averages help identify where to investigate. Actual household figures decide whether the move works.

The Better Places takeaway

Housing decisions are often discussed as though only the destination matters. Ireland’s newest rent data shows why the tenancy being left can matter just as much as the city being entered.

Readers comparing places where income is portable can continue with our Lisbon vs Valencia comparison, which combines housing with other recurring household costs. The Better Places Calculator can then be used for currently supported city pairs.

Official sources

Photo: Valerie / Unsplash. This article is a planning comparison, not legal, tenancy or financial advice.