Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bray and Galway

For one person, living costs are similar in Bray and in Galway: $3,126 and $3,268 a month, rent and utilities included.

Bray
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,126
/mo nomad
Galway
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,268
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bray and in Galway

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bray and in Galway actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,126 per month in Bray vs $3,268 in Galway, rent included.

  • Bray $3,126
  • Galway $3,268

A couple spends around $4,556 per month in Bray vs $4,575 in Galway, rent included.

  • Bray $4,556
  • Galway $4,575

A family of three spends $5,986 per month in Bray vs $5,881 in Galway, rent included.

  • Bray $5,986
  • Galway $5,881

Bray is about 4% cheaper than Galway, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Bray and Galway sit above the global median – Bray by 131%, Galway by 141%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bray
Galway
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.73 €21.11
$22.87 €20.34
3.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 €90.2
$114 €101
-10.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.57 €12.07
$16.74 €14.89
-18.94%
Cappuccino
$4.83 €4.30
$4.97 €4.42
-2.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.66
$3.01 €2.68
-0.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.19 €1.95
0.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.94 €7.06
$7.74 €6.89
2.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.02 €6.25
$6.78 €6.03
3.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bray
Galway
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 €1.44
$1.63 €1.45
-0.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 €2.04
$2.36 €2.10
-2.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 €1.84
$2.28 €2.03
-9.21%
Eggs
$4.40 €3.92
$4.38 €3.89
0.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.04 €8.93
$16.87 €15.01
-40.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 €9.79
$10.88 €9.68
1.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.34 €11.87
$13.29 €11.82
0.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 €2.46
$3.05 €2.71
-9.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$2.18 €1.94
2.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.77 €2.46
$3.03 €2.70
-8.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.02 €3.58
$4.10 €3.65
-1.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.98 €1.76
-3.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 €1.37
$1.55 €1.38
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 €1.12
$1.32 €1.17
-4.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.63
$1.83 €1.63
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.38 €18.13
$20.25 €18.01
0.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.72 €12.20
$13.76 €12.24
-0.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.51 €3.12
$4.13 €3.67
-15.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 €3.08
$4.58 €4.07
-24.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Bray
Galway
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.54 €2.26
$2.10 €1.86
20.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$110 €97.9
$61.7 €54.9
78.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.25 €4.67
$5.39 €4.79
-2.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.44 €1.28
$1.44 €1.28
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$38.24 €34.01
$55.0 €48.93
-30.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.84
$2.16 €1.92
-4.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.5K €35.1K
$38.6K €34.3K
2.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.1K
$38.5K €34.3K
-0.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bray
Galway
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$271 €241
$241 €214
12.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.64 €18.36
$20.86 €18.56
-1.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.8 €45.20
$50.7 €45.08
0.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bray
Galway
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.5 €58.3
$44.14 €39.26
48.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 €15.15
$22.15 €19.70
-23.07%
Cinema Ticket
$15.76 €14.01
$13.32 €11.85
18.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bray
Galway
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,004 €893
$996 €886
0.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K €12.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bray
Galway
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 €88.1
$102 €90.4
-2.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.70 €43.32
$47.57 €42.32
2.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 €96.7
$113 €100
-3.53%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 €101
$117 €104
-3.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bray
Galway
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,222 €1,977
$2,293 €2,040
-3.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,502
$1,900 €1,690
-11.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,799 €3,379
$3,654 €3,250
3.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,766 €2,460
$2,704 €2,405
2.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.2K €9,101
$6,129 €5,452
66.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,718 €5,976
$4,623 €4,112
45.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bray
Galway
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,150 €2,802
$2,929 €2,605
7.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
3.68
3.80%

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

Last update for Bray: October 17, 2026

Last update for Galway: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bray
$1.7K
Galway
$1.9K 12.5% $211
Eating Out
Bray
$363
Galway
$366 0.8% $2.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bray
$342
Galway
$312 8.8% $30
Groceries & Markets
Bray
$336
Galway
$366 8.8% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Bray
$166
Galway
$170 2.4% $4.1
Getting Around
Bray
$133
Galway
$83 37.7% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Bray
$97
Galway
$71 27% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,222 in Bray versus $2,293 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 $101 in Bray versus $114 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $366 – making Bray the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Bray
🇮🇪 Galway
🕒 Local time
08:30 8:30 AM
08:30 8:30 AM
Same time as Bray
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,512
75,529
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bray Galway 200 km
From you
  • Bray
  • Galway

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Galway cheaper than Bray?
Yes – Galway is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,690 per month in Bray and $4,902 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Bray and in Galway?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,126 in Bray and $3,268 in Galway. That's a gap of about 5%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 78% less in Bray. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Bray or in Galway?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,126 in Bray and $3,268 in Galway. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Bray or Galway more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Bray or Galway?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Bray vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?