Ireland
Monthly Budget Template for Ireland
Track your income in EUR, record PRSI, USC and pension deductions alongside everyday expenses, all in a Google Sheets template you own.
In Depth
PAYE, PRSI, USC, and Where an Irish Payslip Actually Lands
Irish payslips carry three distinct deductions that together can remove 40-50% of higher earnings. PAYE income tax applies at 20% on income up to the standard rate cut-off point, EUR 44,000 for a single person in 2026 and EUR 53,000 for a married couple with one income, then at 40% above that. PRSI at 4.2% funds social insurance benefits including the State Pension, and it rises to 4.35% on 1 October 2026. USC for 2026 runs at 0.5% on the first EUR 12,012, 2% up to EUR 28,700, 3% up to EUR 70,044, and 8% on income above that. This layered structure explains why the gap between a job offer and actual take-home pay can feel surprisingly wide.
The Help to Buy scheme refunds first-time buyers the income tax and DIRT they paid over the previous four years, up to EUR 30,000 or 10% of the purchase price of a new-build or self-build home, and it runs to the end of 2029. That refund can reduce the deposit a buyer needs to assemble. Pension relief at the marginal rate works on a similar logic, since a higher-rate taxpayer gives up 60 cents of take-home pay for every euro contributed. Both reliefs are worth knowing about when mapping out a savings timeline.
Housing costs dominate most Irish budgets. Renting in Dublin routinely consumes a third or more of take-home pay, while owning brings a mortgage alongside Local Property Tax and home insurance, so shelter tends to be the single largest line item. DIRT at 33% on savings interest means bank returns are modest after tax, which is part of why pension contributions with their marginal-rate relief and DIRT-free An Post State Savings feature prominently in Irish financial planning.
Ireland
Budgeting in Ireland: What's Different
Ireland's tax system and cost of living have features that shape how a budget is built. Knowing them makes it easier to set up a template that matches your actual figures.
PAYE, PRSI, and USC combine for a significant deduction
Irish employees face three separate payroll deductions. Income tax runs at 20% up to the standard rate cut-off point, EUR 44,000 for a single person in 2026, and 40% above it. PRSI for most employees sits at 4.2% and steps up to 4.35% from 1 October 2026 under a phased schedule of annual increases. USC for 2026 applies at 0.5% on the first EUR 12,012, 2% up to EUR 28,700, 3% up to EUR 70,044, and 8% on income above that [1]. Together these can take 40-50% of higher earnings, so the net figure on your payslip is the most accurate starting point.
Rent and housing costs dominate Irish budgets
Constrained housing supply means rent in Dublin and other cities consumes a large portion of take-home pay, often 30-40% or more. Mortgage payments, while potentially lower monthly than rent, come with additional costs including mortgage protection insurance, Local Property Tax, and home insurance. Housing usually warrants its own prominent section in an Irish budget.
The cost of childcare is among Europe's highest
Full-time childcare in Ireland can run to EUR 1,000-1,500 or more per month per child before the National Childcare Scheme subsidy is applied. For families this is often the second-largest expense after housing, so it warrants its own budget line for visibility.
Health insurance is common but not mandatory
While Ireland has a public health system, private health insurance is common, with roughly half the population covered. Plans range from EUR 500 to EUR 3,000 or more per year. Tax relief at 20% is applied at source by insurers, capped at EUR 1,000 of premium per adult and EUR 500 per child, which reduces the net cost. Private cover is one of the larger discretionary lines in an Irish budget.
Pension contributions attract relief at your marginal rate
Pension contributions in Ireland receive income tax relief at your marginal rate, 40% for higher-rate taxpayers and 20% on the standard rate. Age-related limits set the maximum qualifying percentage of earnings: 15% under age 30, rising in steps to 40% from age 60, with relief applying to earnings up to a cap of EUR 115,000. Employer contributions do not count against the personal limit. At the higher rate, EUR 1,000 contributed reduces take-home pay by EUR 600.
DIRT applies to savings interest
Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) at 33% is deducted at source from interest earned on Irish bank deposits [1]. The interest credited to a savings account is therefore already net of tax. For budgeting purposes the amount in the account is what you actually receive, though it is worth knowing that a third of the gross interest has already been withheld. State Savings products from An Post sit outside DIRT, so their stated returns are paid gross.
Get the Template
Getting Started
Your First Steps With an Irish Budget
Switch the currency to EUR
Select EUR from the currency dropdown in the header. The template works in any currency; only the display symbol changes.
Enter your net monthly pay
Use your take-home pay after PAYE, PRSI, USC, and any pension contributions. Your payslip carries the net figure. If you have additional income from rent or freelance work, add those as separate lines.
Set up Irish expense categories
Add categories for: rent or mortgage, Local Property Tax, utilities (electricity, gas, broadband), groceries, dining out, transport (Leap card, motor tax, NCT, insurance, fuel), health insurance, childcare where it applies, and subscriptions.
Track pension contributions
If you make Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) beyond your employer scheme, add these as a budget category. Standard employer scheme contributions are deducted before your net pay, so only what you contribute manually needs a line.
Account for Irish seasonal costs
Winter heating costs from December to March, motor insurance and tax renewals, back-to-school costs in September, and Christmas spending create predictable seasonal patterns worth planning for.
See It In Action
What the template looks like
Browse through the template to see the dashboard, the entry sheets, and the summaries it produces, all adaptable to your local financial setup.
- Built-in currency selector
- Calculations update automatically
- Visual summaries of your numbers
- No setup required
Dashboard with income, expenses, and savings at a glance
Log transactions with automatic categorization
Set targets per category and track actual spending
Visual breakdown of where your money goes
Track savings goals alongside your budget
Monitor progress toward financial goals
Fully customizable expense, income, and savings categories
Sources
Common Questions
Monthly Budget Template for Ireland - FAQ
Does this template use euros?
Yes. Switch to EUR using the currency picker in the header. All calculations work the same regardless of currency.
Can I track my pension contributions?
Standard workplace pension contributions are deducted before your net pay. Only Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) made from take-home pay need a budget category. Contributions receive tax relief at your marginal rate of 20% or 40%, so the gross contribution and its net cost differ.
How do I handle the Local Property Tax?
LPT can be paid as a lump sum or deducted from your salary through your employer. If it is deducted from salary, it is already reflected in your net pay. If you pay directly, add it as a monthly or annual budget line.
Is there an Irish-specific version?
The template is globally customizable, and this page explains how to set it up for Irish finances. Google Sheets' flexibility means you can rename categories and adjust the structure to match your situation.
How does this compare to An Post Money or Revolut budgeting?
Banking apps like Revolut and An Post Money categorize transactions automatically. This template requires manual entry but offers more customization, works independently of any bank, and keeps your financial data in your own Google Drive. Some people use both together.
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Tax rules, rates, and contribution limits change, and official publications can themselves lag behind the law in force. We review these figures on a best-effort basis against sources we consider authoritative, but we cannot guarantee they are current, complete, or that better sources do not exist, and nothing here is tax, legal, or financial advice. For decisions, the relevant government authority is the reference.