Rathmines, Ballsbridge, Glasnevin, Clontarf, Smithfield, Dún Laoghaire: where to rent an apartment in Dublin, at what rent, and what to check before signing.
To rent an apartment in Dublin, start by choosing the right neighbourhood: it sets your rent, your commute and your chances of getting a viewing. Six areas come up in most searches: Rathmines and Ranelagh, Ballsbridge and Sandymount, Drumcondra and Glasnevin, Clontarf, Smithfield and Stoneybatter, and finally Dún Laoghaire, on the south coast.
The starting budget is high. According to the quarterly report from the portal Daft.ie, a one-bedroom apartment rented for between €1,869 and €2,150 per month in the second quarter of 2026 depending on the area of the metro, and a two-bedroom for €2,551 on average. Above all, supply is scarce: on 1 August 2026, only 1,123 homes were available to rent in the whole of Dublin, 18% fewer than a year earlier.
This guide goes through the six neighbourhoods with the rents of new leases published by the sector's public authority, then the rules to know and the checks to make before signing.
The figures below come from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) index, which records leases. They give the standardised average rent of new leases signed in the first quarter of 2026, all types of home combined, by local electoral area (LEA). The LEA boundaries do not follow neighbourhood limits exactly: take these amounts as area benchmarks.
South of the canal, these two residential neighbourhoods mix Victorian streets, cafés and shops, with service by the Luas green line. They are in high demand among young professionals. In the Kimmage-Rathmines LEA, the average rent of a new lease reached €2,049 per month in the first quarter of 2026: it is the lowest average of the Dublin city electoral areas.
Ballsbridge (Dublin 4) concentrates embassies and high-end residences. Sandymount, a coastal village served by the DART, mainly attracts families. In the Pembroke LEA, which covers this area, the average rent of a new lease was €2,539.
North of the Liffey, close to the centre, these neighbourhoods offer more accessible rents and good bus service. In the Cabra-Glasnevin LEA, the average of new leases was €2,089 per month.
A village feel, a bayside promenade and DART stations: Clontarf suits those who want the sea without going far. The average rent of a new lease there reached €2,319.
West of the centre, on the Luas red line, these two neighbourhoods attract young professionals with rents that are relatively lower than the Southside and their neighbourhood life. The supply there is mostly apartments and small townhouses.
A port town linked to the centre by the DART, Dún Laoghaire offers a quieter setting. In the LEA of the same name, the average rent of a new lease was €2,477. The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, of which it is part, has the highest average rent in the metro for new leases: €2,629.
Daft.ie publishes the rents advertised in its listings, by type of home and by area. In the second quarter of 2026:
The increase is slowing: advertised rents in Dublin rose by only 0.8% between March and June 2026, but they are still up 6.5% over a year. On registered leases, the RTB records an average rent of €2,335 for a new lease in County Dublin, against €1,960 for a lease already under way: entering the market costs markedly more than staying in it.
On top of this rent come energy and internet bills, and the sum to pay on move-in: the deposit and the first month's rent.
Since 1 March 2026, national rent regulation applies to all private rentals in Ireland. Rent can only increase once a year, by 2% at most, or by the inflation rate if it is lower. For new apartments whose construction began after 10 June 2025, the increase follows inflation without the 2% cap.
A lease signed since that date forms part of a minimum six-year cycle. During the first six months, the landlord can end it for any reason; after that, only for reasons set out in law. The deposit cannot exceed one month's rent: the amount must be in writing and come with a dated and signed receipt. The RTB advises paying it only once you are satisfied with the home and the conditions, and avoiding cash payment if possible.
The RTB publishes a checklist for tenants moving into a home. The key points:
Landlords generally ask for an ID, proof of income (payslips, contract or employer's letter), recent bank statements and references from former landlords. The RTB also states that the tenant provides their PPS number, the Irish personal identifier. Set up alerts on Daft.ie and Rent.ie, and be ready to view within 24 to 48 hours: properties close to a Luas or DART station go fast. Finally, look at the BER certificate, the energy rating required for any rental: a poorly rated home is expensive to heat in winter.
With just over a thousand homes available for the whole city, you have to respond quickly, view in person and pay nothing before seeing the property: fake listings exist. From France or another country, this is hard to manage.
A Remoters home finder based in Dublin can target the neighbourhoods that fit your commute and your budget, view for you, prepare your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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