As rural planning rules are relaxed, new CSO figures show buying an existing home beats building a new one across most of the country
The new planning rules are welcome and will remove real barriers for people who want to build in their own communities. But easier planning doesn't mean cheaper building. For a lot of people, especially in rural Ireland, buying an existing home still works out considerably cheaper than building from scratch."
Where Building Costs More Than Buying
Rank | County/Area | Median Buy Price | Gap vs Building | Verdict |
1 | Longford | €198,000 | +€202,000 | Cheaper to buy |
2 | Donegal | €208,000 | +€192,000 | Cheaper to buy |
3 | Leitrim | €223,000 | +€177,000 | Cheaper to buy |
4 | Roscommon | €230,500 | +€169,500 | Cheaper to buy |
5 | Mayo | €245,000 | +€155,000 | Cheaper to buy |
6 | Cavan | €260,000 | +€140,000 | Cheaper to buy |
7 | Monaghan | €266,750 | +€133,250 | Cheaper to buy |
8 | Tipperary | €275,000 | +€125,000 | Cheaper to buy |
9 | Sligo | €280,000 | +€120,000 | Cheaper to buy |
10 | Carlow | €281,000 | +€119,000 | Cheaper to buy |
- Building only makes financial sense in eight areas, all of them in Dublin, the commuter belt, or Galway City, where existing homes already command high prices.
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown was the only area where building offered a major saving, with a median buy price of €689,325, some €289,325 more than the cost of building new.
- County Cork sits almost exactly on the tipping point, with a median price of €395,000, meaning building and buying cost roughly the same.
- The cheapest single place to buy in the country was Castlerea, Roscommon (Eircode F45), with a median price of €155,000, while the most expensive was Blackrock, Dublin (A94), at €850,000.
There's a certain irony here," Stephen says. "The recent planning reform is aimed at rural Ireland, yet those counties are exactly where buying beats building by the widest margin. A one-off home carries costs an estate house doesn't. Things like site works, wastewater treatment systems, wells and connections, those add up quickly."
Why the Gap Exists
Building gives you a new, energy-efficient home designed around how you actually live, and for many people that's worth paying for. Buying is usually faster and often cheaper, but you may be taking on an older property that needs work. The right answer depends on the site, the county and the person. My advice is always to get proper engineering and planning advice before you commit either way."
Full Data Table
Rank | County/Area | Median Buy Price | Gap vs Building | Verdict |
1 | Longford | €198,000 | +€202,000 | Cheaper to buy |
2 | Donegal | €208,000 | +€192,000 | Cheaper to buy |
3 | Leitrim | €223,000 | +€177,000 | Cheaper to buy |
4 | Roscommon | €230,500 | +€169,500 | Cheaper to buy |
5 | Mayo | €245,000 | +€155,000 | Cheaper to buy |
6 | Cavan | €260,000 | +€140,000 | Cheaper to buy |
7 | Monaghan | €266,750 | +€133,250 | Cheaper to buy |
8 | Tipperary | €275,000 | +€125,000 | Cheaper to buy |
9 | Sligo | €280,000 | +€120,000 | Cheaper to buy |
10 | Carlow | €281,000 | +€119,000 | Cheaper to buy |
11 | Offaly | €289,950 | +€110,050 | Cheaper to buy |
12 | Limerick City | €295,000 | +€105,000 | Cheaper to buy |
13 | Kerry | €300,000 | +€100,000 | Cheaper to buy |
14 | Waterford City | €310,000 | +€90,000 | Cheaper to buy |
15 | Wexford | €315,000 | +€85,000 | Cheaper to buy |
16 | Clare | €320,000 | +€80,000 | Cheaper to buy |
17 | Westmeath | €330,000 | +€70,000 | Cheaper to buy |
18 | Kilkenny | €345,000 | +€55,000 | Cheaper to buy |
19 | Waterford County | €348,750 | +€51,250 | Cheaper to buy |
20 | Cork City | €350,000 | +€50,000 | Cheaper to buy |
21 | Laois | €350,000 | +€50,000 | Cheaper to buy |
22 | Limerick County | €350,000 | +€50,000 | Cheaper to buy |
23 | Galway County | €365,550 | +€34,450 | Cheaper to buy |
24 | Louth | €370,000 | +€30,000 | Cheaper to buy |
25 | Cork County | €395,000 | +€5,000 | Cheaper to buy |
26 | Galway City | €415,500 | −€15,500 | Cheaper to build |
27 | Meath | €425,000 | −€25,000 | Cheaper to build |
28 | Kildare | €447,876 | −€47,876 | Cheaper to build |
29 | Wicklow | €470,000 | −€70,000 | Cheaper to build |
30 | Dublin City | €480,000 | −€80,000 | Cheaper to build |
31 | Fingal | €480,000 | −€80,000 | Cheaper to build |
32 | South Dublin | €485,000 | −€85,000 | Cheaper to build |
33 | Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | €689,325 | −€289,325 | Cheaper to build |
Source: CSO Residential Property Price Index (HPM07/HPM08, 12 months to May 2026). Build benchmark: ~€400,000 all-in for a standard three-bed one-off (construction, fees, VAT, utilities; excludes site), based on 2026 SCSI and Selfbuild guidance.
How the Data Was Gathered
About BCE Consulting Engineers
BCE Consulting Engineers provides professional civil and structural engineering services across Ireland, supporting residential, commercial and development projects from planning stage through to completion. Founded by Stephen Boyle, the company works with clients on practical, compliant and cost-effective engineering solutions.