Is Ireland the Richest Country in the EU? The Truth Behind the Numbers

What does "richest" actually mean?

Before we jump into rankings and stats, we need to ask: what do we mean by "richest"?
Are we talking about GDP per capita? Overall national wealth? Standard of living? These are very different things.

And that matters a lot when we talk about Ireland — because the numbers can look sky-high, but reality on the ground? Hmm... more complicated.

Ireland's GDP per capita: off the charts

Yep, if you look at GDP per capita (Gross Domestic Product divided by population), Ireland often comes out on top in the EU. According to Eurostat and IMF figures in recent years, Ireland sometimes even beats Luxembourg, which used to be the unchallenged #1.

In 2023, for example, Ireland's GDP per capita surpassed €100,000 — wild, right?

But wait...

Modified GNI: the other side of the story

The Irish government itself prefers using a different metric called GNI* (Modified Gross National Income). Why?

Because Ireland’s GDP is distorted by multinational activity, especially tech and pharma giants. Companies like Apple, Google, Pfizer — many have set up their European HQs in Ireland thanks to favorable tax laws.

These companies shift billions in profits through Ireland, which inflates the country’s GDP without necessarily reflecting the real income of Irish residents.

So yeah, on paper it looks like everyone's a millionaire. In practice? Not quite.

Standard of living: how rich do people feel?

Let’s talk real life for a sec. How does the average Irish person feel compared to, say, someone in Germany or France?

Cost of living in Ireland is high

Housing in Dublin? Brutal. Rent prices have gone up like crazy. Healthcare can be expensive and hard to access. Groceries, energy, insurance — none of it is cheap.

So even if salaries are decent, a lot of that money disappears fast. Some Irish households are doing great, sure. But many still struggle with costs.

Income inequality matters too

Ireland has relatively high income inequality compared to some other EU countries. That means the wealth isn’t evenly spread. You’ll find software engineers making six figures and nurses barely affording city life.

So again: “richest” is a very relative term.

How does Ireland compare to other EU countries?

GDP per capita (2023 estimates)

• Ireland: Over €100,000

• Luxembourg: Around €90,000

• Denmark: €70,000+

• Germany: Around €50,000

• France: Just below €45,000

Impressive numbers, sure. But again, context is everything.

Real household income

If you measure actual household income after taxes and transfers, Ireland doesn’t top the list. Countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, or Austria often score better in terms of well-being and social services.

Why Ireland’s economy looks so rich

Let’s break it down quickly:

• Low corporate tax rate (12.5%) = magnet for global companies

• Lots of foreign direct investment

• Massive profits routed through Irish subsidiaries

• Artificially boosts GDP stats

It’s called "leprechaun economics" (no joke)

Economists even coined the term leprechaun economics in 2015, when Ireland reported a 26% growth in GDP in a single year — mostly due to Apple moving assets. It was so unreal that even Irish officials were like, “Okay, this is getting out of hand.”

Final thoughts: is Ireland really the richest country in the EU?

Technically? On paper? Yes, if you're only looking at GDP per capita.

But practically, in terms of how wealth is experienced day to day? Not necessarily.
High living costs, income inequality, and economic distortions make it a bit of an illusion.

So Ireland may be statistically rich, but whether that translates into being actually rich — well, that’s another story entirely.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.