When you first meet Zoé and Nate, you can see how much they love each other. But also, that they actually like each other. Not in the way that makes you want to gag. In this sort of sweet, supportive way. They’re just so… likable.
But how did they get here… sitting across from me eating sushi at Mizu in downtown Killarney, Ireland? They dreamed a dream. And then made it a reality. And once you get to know them, you can just tell— these are the kind of people the stars align for.
“We’d done the Wild Atlantic Way back in 2018,” Zoé tells me, “and I remember thinking—could we actually make this real?”
She applied to Trinity College in Dublin for an MFA in Creative Writing and got accepted. Nate applied to University College Dublin for an MBA and was accepted. In the thick of the pandemic, Zoé and Nate, both 33, got rid of much of what they owned and packed the rest into a few suitcases, then crossed the Atlantic. Today, they call downtown Killarney home.
These days Zoé’s a novelist and poet and Nate works in tech and moonlights at a local wine bar. But moving to Ireland as students was their ticket in. “Being a student is one of the easiest jumping-off points to becoming a resident of Ireland,” Zoé tells me. “Or at least, it was when we came several years ago.”
Their daily routine is just normal life, but because it’s in Ireland… it’s fantastic. “We walk everywhere. We’re surrounded by beauty. And we have time for our lives outside work,” Zoé says. Nate chimes in, “Every day feels like we’re on vacation—even though this is real life.”
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A Soft Landing with a Student Visa
The couple’s leap overseas began with Trinity College. Zoé had always dreamed of writing fantasy fiction full time, but wasn’t sure how to make it happen. “I’ve been a poet for years, but poetry doesn’t exactly pay the bills,” she says with a wry smile. “The Masters gave me permission to take writing seriously, and a way to transition into prose.”
Trinity offered the ideal program—and when she was accepted, Nate applied to MBA programs nearby. “We were choosing between London and Dublin,” Nate says. “But when Zoé got into her dream school, it was settled.”
Student visas provided an accessible entry point into Ireland. Zoé and Nate each completed a one-year graduate program, and then transitioned to Ireland’s post-study visa, which grants two additional years to seek work. “That postgrad visa gave us time to find jobs, build community, and settle in,” Zoé says. Nate’s job offer from an Irish tech company qualified him for a Critical Skills Employment Permit—an immigration fast-track that led to long-term residency for both of them.
They didn’t originally plan to stay in Killarney. After two years in Dublin, they visited a friend’s hometown in County Kerry, and something clicked. “It just had this magnetism,” says Zoé. “The beauty, the walkability, the pace of life—we didn’t want to leave.”
Their first three-month rental came through a local friend’s family. When it was time to find something more permanent, they tapped into their growing web of contacts. “Housing here is tough,” Nate admits. “It took four months and a lot of word-of-mouth before we found our current apartment.”
They now live in a tidy two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat in the town center. The couple pays under €1,500 ($1,731) a month and live without a dryer and dishwasher—“And we don’t miss them,” Zoé adds. “We’ve learned what we actually need.”
From their front door, it’s a seven-minute stroll to Killarney National Park. “That park is my muse,” Zoé says. “I walk there almost every day. I plan my chapters in my head and dictate notes into my phone.”
Building a Life in Killarney
Ireland isn’t the cheapest country in Europe, but it offers a favorable trade-off for what it delivers in safety, community, and quality of life.
Nate, who studied economics, says the numbers add up. “When we moved, Dublin was about 10% cheaper than Chicago. Prices have gone up, but the cost of living here—food, healthcare, daily expenses—is still very manageable.” Inflation has been milder than in the US, and Nate’s salary in the tech industry stretches further here.
Housing is the biggest challenge. “We’re paying a lot, no question,” he says. “But everything else feels reasonable—and the quality of life is so much higher.”
The food is a great example, with their weekly grocery spend averaging between €100-150 ($115-173) and access to much higher-quality food. Zoé tells me, “We’re in farm country, and much of the food is fresh and local, unless it’s out of season.” And the hotly debated price of eggs in the States? They’re just €4.00 a dozen in Killarney, with a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery running about €3.00.
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Living Without Healthcare Scares
Zoé, who manages several chronic conditions, says Ireland’s healthcare system has been a relief. “I had an MRI last year and braced myself for the bill—US instincts. It was €250, total. That included the hospital. I couldn’t believe it.”
They both have private insurance—through Nate’s job—and pay less for it than they did in the States. “There’s public coverage, too,” Zoé explains, “but with private insurance, you get faster access to specialists.”
The trade-off? Appointments can involve wait times, and for certain services, they need to travel to nearby Tralee or Cork. “There’s no hospital in Killarney, just clinics,” Nate says. “But we’ve always been able to get what we need.”
Work, Writing, and Inspiration in the Park
Nate splits his time between a tech role in Dublin and his passion job at a wine bar in town. “It’s a great mix—finance guy by day, sommelier by night,” he jokes. He travels to Dublin once a month for meetings, commuting via a scenic three-hour train ride (about €60.00 to €80.00 round trip). “I leave at 6 a.m., work the day, and head home by 9. It’s ideal.”
Zoé writes fiction full time and also works part-time in a local shop. She’s currently revising two novels— young adult fantasy and cozy fiction. “The park fuels everything,” she says. “It’s quiet, grounding, and wildly inspiring.”
Finding Community
The pandemic made it harder to meet people early on, but they persisted. “We met one of our best friends during the 2020 US election,” Zoé says. “We were celebrating at the embassy in Dublin, and it turned into this spontaneous gathering of Americans jumping up and down together.”
They’ve since joined book clubs, writing groups, and a local sports league (Nate took up golf ). “If you want to meet people here, you have to join things,” Zoé says matter-of-factly. “That’s how you break into the community.”
Their circle now includes a mix of Irish locals and fellow expats—many of whom came as students and stayed. “There’s something about Killarney,” Nate says. “It pulls people in. We’ve seen so many who thought they’d stay a year… and never left.”
Real Talk: Challenges and Wisdom
While they’re thriving now, Zoé and Nate are quick to acknowledge the hard parts. “Leaving family was the toughest thing,” Zoé says. “There’s guilt—especially during the big moments back home. Weddings, health scares… You miss things.”
Finding housing was another challenge, especially without local connections. “It’s not easy to land a place from abroad,” Nate says. “It’s really about who you know.”
Their advice for other Americans considering a move?
“Start as a student if you can,” Nate says. “It’s a great jumping-off point. Then look into the Critical Skills route.”
“Come with an open mind,” Zoé adds. “Say yes to every invite. Join things. And don’t expect it to be like home—because it’s not. It’s better, in a hundred small ways.”
Why They Never Looked Back
Zoé and Nate walk everywhere. They eat better. They sleep more. “It’s the little things,” Zoé says. “Like knowing my work matters, and having time to do it. Being part of a slower, more humane culture. And never once worrying about gun violence. That’s huge.”
“Don’t expect it to be like home—because it’s not. It’s better, in a hundred little ways.”
“Back in Chicago, we were working 60-hour weeks and racing toward burnout,” Nate says. “Now we have time to live.”
Five years in, they’re still enchanted by the life they’ve built—and the country that helped make it possible. “We feel like we’re living the dream,” Zoé says, smiling. “And the wild part is… it’s real.”
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