Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Cork Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Cork

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Athlone versus $3,287 in Cork.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,875 in Athlone versus $4,750 in Cork.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,117 in Athlone versus $6,213 in Cork.

Living in Athlone costs roughly 20% less than in Cork, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athlone 91% above, Cork 138% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.02 €18.98

$22.41 €19.32

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.4 €78.8

$93.7 €80.8

-2.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.22 €11.39

$13.47 €11.61

-1.86%

Cappuccino

$4.58 €3.95

$4.63 €3.99

-1.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 €2.53

$2.94 €2.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.30 €1.99

-13.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.54 €6.50

$7.64 €6.58

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 €5.86

$7.41 €6.38

-8.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.73 €1.49

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.36 €2.04

-41.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.98 €1.71

-13.13%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.49

$4.65 €4.01

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 €9.75

$14.75 €12.71

-23.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.97 €10.32

$13.42 €11.57

-10.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 €10.73

$17.45 €15.04

-28.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$3.42 €2.95

-21.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$2.97 €2.56

-45.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$3.40 €2.93

-27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$5.06 €4.36

-42.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$2.34 €2.01

0.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$1.81 €1.56

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.46 €1.26

3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.21 €1.90

-10.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.74 €16.15

$20.68 €17.83

-9.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 €9.98

$14.21 €12.25

-18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.28 €3.69

-18.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 €3.26

$3.65 €3.15

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.68 €1.45

22.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.3 €69.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.47

$5.25 €4.52

-1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.44 €25.37

$33.55 €28.92

-12.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.15 €1.85

-1.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.1K €35.4K

$39.7K €34.2K

3.44%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.0K €33.6K

$39.1K €33.7K

-0.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$245 €211

$253 €218

-3.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.83 €19.68

$22.61 €19.49

0.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 €44.17

$57.0 €49.13

-10.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 €50.8

$55.5 €47.82

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.93 €31.84

$16.04 €13.82

130.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 €10.14

$13.84 €11.93

-15.03%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,046 €902

$1,109 €956

-5.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,473 €4,717

$5,493 €4,735

-0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.4 €84.0

$97.1 €83.7

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.76 €36.86

$43.67 €37.65

-2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 €77.1

$107 €92.6

-16.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 €67.5

$125 €108

-37.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 €1,334

$2,238 €1,929

-30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,416 €1,221

$1,820 €1,569

-22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,701 €2,328

$3,432 €2,958

-21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 €2,038

$2,937 €2,532

-19.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,456 €2,979

$4,977 €4,290

-30.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,543 €3,054

$3,238 €2,791

9.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,249 €2,800

$4,142 €3,570

-21.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

4.14

-9.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Athlone: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cork: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,547 in Athlone and $2,238 in Cork. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cork pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $91.0 in Athlone vs $94.0 in Cork for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $405 per month, with Athlone cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Athlone vs Cork: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athlone wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Cork. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athlone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Cork. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,547 in Athlone versus $2,238 in Cork. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Cork. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,632 per month in Athlone versus $3,287 in Cork – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,632 in Athlone versus $3,287 in Cork, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Athlone but tight or insufficient in Cork. The gap between the two cities makes Athlone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Athlone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,632 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athlone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athlone and Cork are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Athlone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Cork. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.