Cost of Living Comparison Between Balbriggan and Dublin Cost of Living Comparison Between Balbriggan and Dublin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,519 in Balbriggan versus $3,400 in Dublin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,758 in Balbriggan versus $4,968 in Dublin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,997 in Balbriggan versus $6,536 in Dublin.

Living in Balbriggan costs roughly 26% less than in Dublin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Balbriggan 87% above, Dublin 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.01 €19.82

$23.08 €19.88

-0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €89.6

$106 €91.0

-1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 €10.93

$12.81 €11.04

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$4.82 €4.15

$4.55 €3.92

5.93%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.58 €2.22

-3.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.19 €1.89

-2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.17

$8.30 €7.15

0.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 €5.86

$7.09 €6.11

-4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.65 €1.42

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.81

$2.14 €1.84

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.08 €1.79

-4.81%

Eggs

$3.14 €2.70

$4.67 €4.03

-32.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 €9.80

$11.20 €9.65

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 €9.86

$11.56 €9.96

-1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 €12.00

$14.43 €12.44

-3.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 €2.81

$3.32 €2.86

-1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.14 €1.84

-5.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.50

$2.95 €2.54

-1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.55 €4.79

$5.56 €4.79

-0.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.24 €1.93

-4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.77 €1.52

1.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.29 €1.11

5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.99 €1.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.24 €17.43

$20.56 €17.71

-1.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 €12.03

$13.73 €11.83

1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 €2.50

$3.56 €3.06

-18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 €2.18

$4.01 €3.46

-36.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.28 €1.96

7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.5 €84.8

$97.6 €84.1

0.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 €4.52

$5.36 €4.62

-2.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.12 €1.83

-2.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.81 €33.44

$39.23 €33.80

-1.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

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

$41.7K €36.0K

$43.0K €37.1K

-3.01%

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

$40.7K €35.0K

$41.1K €35.4K

-0.94%

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

$177 €153

$279 €240

-36.49%

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

$17.57 €15.14

$24.41 €21.04

-28.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.24 €39.84

$57.8 €49.76

-19.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 €47.54

$61.0 €52.6

-9.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 €18.77

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 €11.86

$15.23 €13.12

-9.59%

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

$1,374 €1,184

$1,340 €1,155

2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,416 €8,113

$9,694 €8,352

-2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.3

$107 €92.0

-1.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.86 €24.86

$50.4 €43.44

-42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 €55.9

$116 €100

-44.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$130 €112

-3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 €1,291

$2,354 €2,028

-36.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$1,963 €1,691

-36.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 €2,095

$4,121 €3,551

-40.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 €1,677

$3,276 €2,822

-40.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,381 €3,775

$8,592 €7,402

-49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,748 €2,368

$5,719 €4,928

-51.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,359 €2,033

$3,947 €3,401

-40.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Balbriggan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dublin: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,498 in Balbriggan and $2,354 in Dublin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 67% 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: $104 in Balbriggan vs $106 in Dublin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $361 per month, with Balbriggan 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

Balbriggan vs Dublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balbriggan and Dublin differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($2,519 vs $3,400 including rent). Balbriggan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dublin earns 67% less. 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: $1,498 in Balbriggan versus $2,354 in Dublin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Dublin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Balbriggan – a meal for two runs $104 versus $106 in Dublin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Balbriggan is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balbriggan 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 Balbriggan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.