Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Dublin Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Dublin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Athlone versus $3,817 in Dublin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Athlone versus $5,431 in Dublin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,056 in Athlone versus $7,044 in Dublin.

Living in Athlone costs roughly 31% less than in Dublin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athlone 91% above, Dublin 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.35 €19.28

$25.34 €21.86

-11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 €79.9

$103 €89.1

-10.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.41 €11.57

$13.99 €12.07

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.90

$5.02 €4.33

-9.96%

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

$2.93 €2.53

$3.09 €2.67

-5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.35 €2.03

-19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 €6.36

$8.31 €7.16

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 €6.18

$7.77 €6.70

-7.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.62 €1.40

-6.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.13

$2.43 €2.09

-46.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.02 €1.75

-14.85%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.50

$5.10 €4.40

-20.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 €9.64

$10.33 €8.91

8.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 €10.38

$13.10 €11.29

-8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 €10.49

$16.53 €14.25

-26.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.08 €2.65

-14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 €1.46

$2.33 €2.01

-27.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.95 €2.54

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 €2.48

$5.62 €4.85

-48.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.11

$1.99 €1.72

22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.54 €1.33

22.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.37 €1.18

10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.04 €1.76

0.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.64 €16.08

$21.93 €18.91

-15.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 €10.08

$14.12 €12.18

-17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.05

$3.52 €3.04

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.28

$3.47 €2.99

9.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.37 €2.05

-10.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 €4.73

$5.43 €4.68

0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.59 €1.37

-2.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 €25.37

$39.29 €33.89

-25.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.13 €1.83

-0.47%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$40.8K €35.2K

-1.92%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$40.9K €35.3K

-6.11%

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

$253 €218

$271 €234

-6.74%

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

$22.53 €19.43

$19.42 €16.75

16.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.98

$55.4 €47.76

-7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.5

$70.8 €61.1

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.31 €32.18

$21.26 €18.34

75.49%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 €10.22

$15.20 €13.11

-22.04%

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

$1,051 €907

$1,361 €1,174

-22.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,669 €4,889

$14.7K €12.6K

-61.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 €84.8

$110 €94.8

-10.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.56 €36.71

$53.5 €46.18

-20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €75.3

$115 €98.9

-23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 €68.2

$131 €113

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 €1,320

$2,559 €2,207

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 €1,219

$2,310 €1,993

-38.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 €2,268

$4,644 €4,006

-43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 €1,988

$3,506 €3,024

-34.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,526 €3,041

$8,855 €7,637

-60.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,454 €2,979

$5,857 €5,052

-41.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,235 €2,790

$3,884 €3,350

-16.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

3.82

-2.36%

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

Last update for Athlone: August 29, 2026

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Athlone and $2,559 in Dublin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 20% 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: $93.0 in Athlone vs $103 in Dublin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $376 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 Dublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athlone wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Dublin. 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 20% lower in Dublin. 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: $1,530 in Athlone versus $2,559 in Dublin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Dublin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,622 per month in Athlone versus $3,817 in Dublin – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Athlone is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Athlone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,622 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Athlone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Athlone and Dublin 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 46% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.