Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Athlone and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Athlone versus $3,435 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,839 in Athlone versus $4,835 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,056 in Athlone versus $6,236 in Galway.

Living in Athlone costs roughly 24% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Athlone 91% above, Galway 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.35 €19.28

$23.56 €20.32

-5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.6 €79.9

$115 €99.3

-19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.41 €11.57

$17.60 €15.18

-23.81%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.90

$4.96 €4.28

-8.87%

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

$2.93 €2.53

$3.17 €2.73

-7.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.38 €2.05

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.38 €6.36

$8.01 €6.91

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 €6.18

$7.02 €6.05

1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.72 €1.48

-12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 €1.13

$2.48 €2.14

-47.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.29 €1.97

-24.89%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.50

$4.57 €3.94

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 €9.64

$17.22 €14.85

-35.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 €10.38

$11.39 €9.82

5.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 €10.49

$14.11 €12.17

-13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.27

$3.04 €2.62

-13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 €1.46

$2.26 €1.95

-25.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$3.22 €2.78

-22.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 €2.48

$4.21 €3.63

-31.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 €2.11

$2.12 €1.83

15.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.59 €1.37

18.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$1.32 €1.14

14.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.98 €1.71

3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.64 €16.08

$21.17 €18.26

-11.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 €10.08

$14.33 €12.36

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.05

$4.24 €3.66

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.28

$4.54 €3.91

-16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.16 €1.86

-2.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 €55.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 €4.73

$5.44 €4.69

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.55 €1.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 €25.37

$58.1 €50.1

-49.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.17 €1.87

-2.30%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$41.2K €35.6K

-2.82%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$38.2K €32.9K

0.51%

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

$253 €218

$248 €214

1.84%

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

$22.53 €19.43

$23.68 €20.42

-4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.98

$52.0 €44.88

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 €52.5

$45.70 €39.41

33.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.31 €32.18

$22.88 €19.73

63.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 €10.22

$17.39 €15.00

-31.86%

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

$1,051 €907

$1,053 €908

-0.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,669 €4,889

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 €84.8

$106 €91.2

-6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.56 €36.71

$50.8 €43.85

-16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 €75.3

$113 €97.8

-23.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 €68.2

$119 €103

-33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 €1,320

$2,363 €2,038

-35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 €1,219

$2,033 €1,754

-30.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 €2,268

$3,803 €3,280

-30.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 €1,988

$2,839 €2,449

-18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,526 €3,041

$6,218 €5,363

-43.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,454 €2,979

$4,804 €4,143

-28.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,235 €2,790

$2,955 €2,548

9.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.73

3.68

1.36%

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

Last update for Athlone: August 29, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,530 in Athlone and $2,363 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athlone pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $93.0 in Athlone vs $115 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $381 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 Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Athlone wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Galway. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Athlone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Athlone, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,530 in Athlone versus $2,363 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Galway. 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 $3,435 in Galway – a 31% 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 Galway 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 31% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.