Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Ennis Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Ennis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,333 in Cork versus $2,495 in Ennis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,691 in Cork versus $3,485 in Ennis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,048 in Cork versus $4,476 in Ennis.

Living in Cork is roughly 34% more expensive than in Ennis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cork 143% above, Ennis 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.46 €20.07

$17.67 €15.11

32.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 €82.6

$85.4 €73.1

13.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.05 €11.17

$11.11 €9.50

17.46%

Cappuccino

$4.34 €3.72

$4.29 €3.67

1.17%

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

$3.10 €2.65

$2.48 €2.12

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 €1.98

$1.65 €1.42

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.48 €6.40

$6.74 €5.76

10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 €6.30

$7.13 €6.10

3.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.34 €1.15

26.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 €1.96

$2.03 €1.73

12.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.70

$1.73 €1.48

15.03%

Eggs

$4.61 €3.94

$4.46 €3.81

3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 €13.23

$7.15 €6.12

116.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.92 €11.91

$11.51 €9.84

20.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 €14.81

$16.67 €14.26

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 €2.74

$1.15 €0.98

178.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$1.69 €1.45

64.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 €2.94

$2.92 €2.50

17.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 €4.36

$5.36 €4.59

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 €1.96

$1.99 €1.71

15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.55 €1.32

10.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.09 €1.78

-1.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.52 €17.56

$22.32 €19.10

-8.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 €11.78

$13.94 €11.93

-1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 €3.58

$3.54 €3.03

18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.20

$3.58 €3.06

4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.60 €2.22

-33.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.7 €68.2

$121 €103

-33.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.60

$5.39 €4.61

-0.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.35

$1.59 €1.36

-0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.97 €29.06

$39.43 €33.73

-13.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.87

$1.92 €1.64

13.54%

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

$39.8K €34.0K

$39.0K €33.3K

2.12%

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

$38.5K €33.0K

$38.8K €33.2K

-0.75%

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

$250 €214

$271 €232

-7.62%

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

$22.55 €19.29

$17.14 €14.66

31.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 €47.59

$40.37 €34.53

37.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 €48.05

$58.7 €50.2

-4.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.08 €13.76

Cinema Ticket

$13.68 €11.70

$15.61 €13.35

-12.36%

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

$1,094 €936

$1,338 €1,145

-18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,628 €4,814

$5,531 €4,731

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.4

$113 €96.7

-9.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.18 €38.65

$52.1 €44.54

-13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €93.2

$114 €97.8

-4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €107

$120 €103

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 €1,921

$1,317 €1,126

70.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 €1,614

$1,169 €1,000

61.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,362 €2,876

$2,281 €1,952

47.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,935 €2,510

$1,552 €1,328

89.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,002 €4,279

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,215 €2,750

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 €3,566

$3,723 €3,184

12.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.11

3.81

7.87%

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

Last update for Cork: August 16, 2026

Last update for Ennis: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,246 in Cork and $1,317 in Ennis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cork pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Cork vs $85.0 in Ennis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $334 per month, with Ennis cheaper across the board.

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

Cork vs Ennis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cork and Ennis differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($3,333 vs $2,495 including rent). Ennis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Cork, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,246 in Cork versus $1,317 in Ennis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Cork. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ennis – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $97.0 in Cork. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,495 in Ennis versus $3,333 in Cork, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ennis but tight or insufficient in Cork. The gap between the two cities makes Ennis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Cork and Ennis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ennis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Cork. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.