Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Carlow and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,566 per month in Carlow vs $3,128 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,786 per month in Carlow vs $4,347 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,005 per month in Carlow vs $5,566 in Galway, rent included.

Carlow is about 18% cheaper than Galway, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Carlow and Galway sit above the global median – Carlow by 92%, Galway by 133%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 €18.06

$18.34 €15.91

13.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.4 €84.5

$94.4 €81.9

3.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €9.00

$10.39 €9.01

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.22 €3.66

$4.25 €3.68

-0.71%

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

$2.56 €2.22

$2.42 €2.10

5.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.62 €1.41

35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.17

$6.73 €5.84

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 €5.74

$6.35 €5.51

4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 €1.38

$1.50 €1.30

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.58 €2.24

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.97

$2.15 €1.87

5.58%

Eggs

$4.38 €3.80

$3.93 €3.41

11.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 €10.16

$12.59 €10.93

-6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 €11.23

$10.62 €9.21

21.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.12 €13.12

$12.09 €10.49

25.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 €2.44

$2.91 €2.52

-3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.09 €1.81

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.04

$2.86 €2.48

22.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 €3.12

$3.49 €3.03

3.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.43 €1.24

3.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.47 €1.27

-29.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.40 €1.21

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.58 €1.37

-13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.29 €16.74

$19.77 €17.15

-2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 €12.69

$14.39 €12.48

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.04

$4.99 €4.33

-52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 €3.32

$5.06 €4.39

-24.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 €1.12

$2.22 €1.93

-41.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 €85.3

$68.9 €59.8

42.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 €1.94

$5.03 €4.36

-55.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.33 €1.16

-0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.77 €30.17

$43.73 €37.94

-20.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.73

$2.09 €1.81

-4.78%

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

$38.7K €33.6K

$42.2K €36.6K

-8.16%

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

$33.1K €28.7K

$39.1K €34.0K

-15.36%

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

$248 €216

$285 €247

-12.72%

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

$21.56 €18.71

$21.92 €19.01

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.93 €42.45

$55.5 €48.15

-11.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 €62.4

$57.2 €49.58

25.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.5 €49.91

$8.68 €7.53

562.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 €11.40

$13.80 €11.97

-4.86%

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

$1,339 €1,161

$1,066 €925

25.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,251 €6,291

$7,946 €6,894

-8.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 €60.8

$91.2 €79.1

-23.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.51 €39.49

$40.06 €34.76

13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 €70.3

$100 €87.2

-19.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 €75.1

$107 €92.6

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 €1,293

$2,005 €1,740

-25.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 €1,045

$1,724 €1,496

-30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,669 €2,316

$3,380 €2,932

-21.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,716

$2,517 €2,184

-21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 €2,085

$6,193 €5,373

-61.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,360 €2,048

$4,705 €4,082

-49.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,621 €2,274

$3,228 €2,801

-18.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.8

-4.17%

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

Last update for Carlow: June 1, 2026

Last update for Galway: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,490 in Carlow versus $2,005 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 23% higher in Galway, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Carlow versus $94.0 in Galway. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Carlow vs $344 in Galway – so Carlow 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

Carlow vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Galway is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,849 per month in Carlow and $4,692 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Carlow and $94.0 in Galway. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,566 in Carlow and $3,128 in Galway. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,566 in Carlow and $3,128 in Galway. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Carlow – 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 Carlow. 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.