Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,647 per month in Bray vs $3,012 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,864 per month in Bray vs $4,270 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,081 per month in Bray vs $5,527 in Galway, rent included.

Bray is about 12% cheaper than Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bray and Galway sit above the global median – Bray by 98%, Galway by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.36 €20.41

$18.43 €16.10

26.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 €82.6

$95.6 €83.6

-1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 €11.08

$10.29 €8.99

23.32%

Cappuccino

$4.44 €3.88

$4.17 €3.65

6.47%

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

$2.51 €2.20

$2.31 €2.02

8.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.94

$1.61 €1.41

37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 €6.39

$6.96 €6.08

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.49

$6.49 €5.67

-3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.50 €1.31

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.86

$2.55 €2.23

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.20 €1.92

-9.09%

Eggs

$4.03 €3.52

$4.00 €3.49

0.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 €9.74

$12.49 €10.91

-10.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 €9.27

$10.50 €9.17

1.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.71 €10.23

$12.15 €10.61

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.02 €2.64

-5.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.00 €1.75

1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 €2.46

$2.83 €2.47

-0.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 €3.11

$3.40 €2.97

4.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.20

$1.44 €1.26

-4.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.43 €1.25

-0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.17

$1.38 €1.21

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.44

$1.67 €1.46

-1.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.32 €16.88

$19.25 €16.82

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 €12.12

$14.02 €12.25

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 €3.22

$4.76 €4.16

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.42

$4.99 €4.36

-21.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 €2.11

$2.32 €2.03

4.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.9 €87.3

$69.5 €60.7

43.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 €4.25

$5.05 €4.41

-3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.38 €1.21

47.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.39 €34.42

$42.64 €37.25

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.00 €1.74

3.50%

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

$41.9K €36.6K

$41.6K €36.3K

0.65%

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

$38.5K €33.7K

$39.0K €34.1K

-1.11%

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

$284 €248

$280 €245

1.44%

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

$22.76 €19.89

$21.89 €19.13

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 €51.1

$54.9 €47.97

6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 €45.16

$56.3 €49.22

-8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 €7.53

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 €12.90

$13.77 €12.03

7.26%

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

$1,062 €928

$1,074 €938

-1.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,252 €7,210

$8,143 €7,115

1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 €79.1

$88.9 €77.6

1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 €35.07

$40.24 €35.16

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €90.0

$103 €89.9

0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €93.5

$108 €94.6

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 €1,309

$1,977 €1,727

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,072

$1,781 €1,556

-31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,409 €2,105

$3,265 €2,852

-26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 €1,733

$2,522 €2,204

-21.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K €8,923

$6,224 €5,438

64.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,828 €5,965

$4,731 €4,134

44.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,293 €2,877

$3,060 €2,673

7.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

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

Last update for Bray: July 12, 2026

Last update for Galway: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,499 in Bray versus $1,977 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 Bray, 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 $95.0 in Bray versus $96.0 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $342 – making Bray the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bray vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Galway is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,971 per month in Bray and $4,518 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,647 in Bray and $3,012 in Galway. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Bray. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,647 in Bray and $3,012 in Galway. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Bray – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bray. 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.