Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cavan and Galway

For one person, living is cheaper in Cavan: $2,477 a month against $3,184 in Galway, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Galway outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cavan, Ireland
Galway, Ireland
Cavan
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,477
/mo nomad
Galway
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,184
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cavan 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 Cavan and in Galway actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,477 in Cavan versus $3,184 in Galway.

  • Cavan $2,477
  • Galway $3,184

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,769 in Cavan versus $4,539 in Galway.

  • Cavan $3,769
  • Galway $4,539

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,061 in Cavan versus $5,895 in Galway.

  • Cavan $5,061
  • Galway $5,895

Living in Cavan costs roughly 22% less than in Galway, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cavan 82% above, Galway 134% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.56 €14.83
$22.73 €20.36
-27.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.7 €79.5
$110 €98.9
-19.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.90 €15.14
$16.46 €14.74
2.67%
Cappuccino
$3.31 €2.97
$4.94 €4.42
-33.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.08
$2.92 €2.61
17.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.31 €2.07
-13.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.92 €5.30
$7.89 €7.07
-24.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.53 €5.85
$6.63 €5.94
-1.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.20 €1.08
$1.59 €1.42
-24.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.34 €2.10
-4.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 €1.42
$2.26 €2.02
-30.09%
Eggs
$4.33 €3.88
$4.31 €3.86
0.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.11 €11.74
$16.38 €14.67
-19.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.86 €14.21
$10.93 €9.79
45.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.90 €8.87
$13.39 €11.99
-26.06%
Apples (1kg)
$5.62 €5.03
$3.06 €2.74
83.66%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 €2.43
$2.17 €1.95
25.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.85 €6.14
$3.10 €2.78
120.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.95 €4.43
$4.05 €3.63
22.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.75 €2.47
$2.06 €1.85
33.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.47 €1.32
-21.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 €1.12
$1.31 €1.17
-4.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 €0.99
$1.82 €1.63
-39.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.33 €16.42
$20.40 €18.27
-10.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.51 €12.10
$14.02 €12.55
-3.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.52 €4.05
$3.91 €3.50
15.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.54 €4.96
$4.46 €4.00
24.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Cavan
Galway
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.07 €1.85
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$310 €277
$66.4 €59.5
366.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.71 €5.12
$5.27 €4.72
8.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.42 €1.27
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.37 €10.18
$55.3 €49.56
-79.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.84
$2.15 €1.92
-4.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K €32.4K
$38.0K €34.1K
-4.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K €32.4K
$38.4K €34.4K
-5.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$244 €219
$245 €220
-0.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.39 €20.05
$21.31 €19.08
5.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.03 €43.91
$51.4 €45.99
-4.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$110 €98.5
$45.26 €40.53
143.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.01 €29.56
$22.38 €20.04
47.50%
Cinema Ticket
$22.75 €20.37
$13.15 €11.78
73.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$990 €887
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.0 €81.5
$100 €89.9
-9.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.63 €24.74
$47.73 €42.75
-42.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.6 €81.1
$109 €97.4
-16.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.52 €30.02
$116 €104
-71.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cavan
Galway
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,150 €1,030
$2,324 €2,082
-50.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$901 €807
$1,812 €1,623
-50.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,116 €1,895
$3,534 €3,165
-40.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 €1,429
$2,733 €2,448
-41.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,352 €3,898
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,324 €2,977
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cavan
Galway
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,898 €2,595
$2,933 €2,627
-1.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.05
3.68
10.05%

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

Last update for Cavan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Galway: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cavan
$901
Galway
$1.8K 101% $910
Groceries & Markets
Cavan
$392
Galway
$363 7.4% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cavan
$316
Galway
$318 0.7% $2.2
Getting Around
Cavan
$316 *
Galway
$87 72.4% $229
Eating Out
Cavan
$287
Galway
$364 26.7% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Cavan
$156
Galway
$72 54% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Cavan
$109
Galway
$168 53.6% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,150 in Cavan and $2,324 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Cavan vs $110 in Galway. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $363, with Galway cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Cavan
🇮🇪 Galway
🕒 Local time
20:13 8:13 PM
20:13 8:13 PM
Same time as Cavan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,000
75,529
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cavan Galway 140 km
From you
  • Cavan
  • 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
Cavan vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cavan and in Galway?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,477 in Cavan and $3,184 in Galway, so Cavan is about 22% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Cavan compared to Galway?
You’d need roughly $3,716 in Cavan and $4,775 in Galway to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Cavan and in Galway?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,150 in Cavan versus $2,324 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Galway pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cavan or Galway?
All in, you’ll spend $2,477 per month in Cavan versus $3,184 in Galway – Cavan is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $2,477 in Cavan versus $3,184 in Galway, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cavan but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Cavan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cavan and Galway?
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.
Is Cavan or Galway safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Cavan and Galway are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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