Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballina and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,577 per month in Ballina vs $3,127 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,685 per month in Ballina vs $4,274 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Ballina vs $5,421 in Galway, rent included.

Ballina is about 18% cheaper than Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ballina and Galway sit above the global median – Ballina by 94%, Galway by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.48 €15.14

$18.76 €16.25

-6.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 €60.1

$97.1 €84.1

-28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.45 €10.78

$10.52 €9.11

18.35%

Cappuccino

$4.16 €3.60

$4.17 €3.61

-0.24%

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

$1.55 €1.34

$2.32 €2.01

-33.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.13

$1.56 €1.35

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 €4.96

$7.10 €6.15

-19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.90

$6.29 €5.45

8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.51 €1.31

15.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.48 €2.15

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.11 €1.83

-0.95%

Eggs

$3.28 €2.84

$4.10 €3.55

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 €9.81

$12.58 €10.90

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 €10.04

$10.23 €8.86

13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 €12.45

$12.12 €10.50

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.80

$2.97 €2.57

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.44

$2.06 €1.78

-19.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 €2.54

$2.83 €2.45

3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 €4.60

$3.37 €2.92

57.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 €1.87

$1.42 €1.23

52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.54

$1.48 €1.28

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.43 €1.24

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.67 €1.44

25.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.59 €17.83

$19.74 €17.09

4.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 €8.84

$14.06 €12.17

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.21

$4.96 €4.30

-25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$4.85 €4.20

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.16

$2.31 €2.00

7.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 €85.7

$68.2 €59.0

45.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.23

$5.08 €4.40

-3.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 €2.38

$1.38 €1.19

99.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.67 €34.35

$43.30 €37.50

-8.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

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

$35.8K €31.0K

$43.1K €37.3K

-17.02%

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

$38.2K €33.1K

$38.5K €33.4K

-0.80%

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

$284 €246

$287 €248

-0.95%

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

$23.79 €20.60

$21.96 €19.02

8.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.58 €35.14

$55.9 €48.41

-27.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 €46.13

$56.4 €48.88

-5.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 €10.98

$14.05 €12.17

-9.75%

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

$1,359 €1,177

$1,064 €922

27.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,391 €8,132

$8,122 €7,034

15.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.7

$91.3 €79.0

14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.54

$39.18 €33.93

28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$102 €88.3

15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €98.5

$108 €93.1

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 €1,293

$1,986 €1,720

-24.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 €1,081

$1,731 €1,499

-27.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 €2,103

$3,305 €2,863

-26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 €1,685

$2,521 €2,183

-22.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,468 €3,003

$5,992 €5,189

-42.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,790 €2,416

$4,663 €4,038

-40.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,331 €2,885

$3,082 €2,669

8.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.8

-15.83%

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

Last update for Ballina: July 25, 2026

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,493 in Ballina versus $1,986 in Galway. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Ballina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ballina versus $97.0 in Galway. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Ballina vs $341 in Galway – so Galway wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ballina vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galway costs about 21% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,866 per month in Ballina and $4,691 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Ballina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,359 per month in Ballina and $1,064 in Galway. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,577 in Ballina and $3,127 in Galway. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,577 versus $3,127 in Galway. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ballina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Galway makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.