Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Mullingar Cost of Living Comparison Between Cork and Mullingar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,204 in Cork versus $2,772 in Mullingar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,607 in Cork versus $3,846 in Mullingar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,011 in Cork versus $4,919 in Mullingar.

Living in Cork is roughly 16% more expensive than in Mullingar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cork 134% above, Mullingar 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.56 €18.80

$22.24 €19.39

-3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.1 €79.4

$92.1 €80.3

-1.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.31 €11.61

$13.42 €11.70

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.96

$4.56 €3.98

-0.22%

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

$2.97 €2.59

$3.01 €2.62

-1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.29 €2.00

-1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.72 €6.73

$7.12 €6.21

8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.50 €6.53

$7.46 €6.50

0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.55 €1.35

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 €2.11

$1.29 €1.12

87.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.71

$1.91 €1.67

3.14%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.13

$4.09 €3.57

15.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.48 €12.62

$14.62 €12.74

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.25 €11.55

$12.33 €10.75

7.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.99 €14.81

$17.43 €15.20

-2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.33 €2.90

2.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$3.09 €2.69

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 €3.07

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 €4.25

$5.00 €4.36

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.34 €2.04

0.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$1.30 €1.13

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.45 €1.26

4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.19 €1.03

77.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.98 €18.28

$19.87 €17.32

5.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.60 €11.86

$12.68 €11.05

7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.37 €3.81

$2.86 €2.49

52.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 €3.22

$3.65 €3.18

1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 €1.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.7 €69.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 €4.57

$4.84 €4.22

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.58 €1.38

1.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.45 €29.16

$33.50 €29.21

-0.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.08 €1.81

5.29%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

-0.12%

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

$39.3K €34.2K

$39.3K €34.3K

-0.14%

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

$246 €215

$175 €153

40.45%

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

$22.32 €19.46

$22.48 €19.59

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 €49.31

$57.8 €50.4

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 €47.84

$62.5 €54.4

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.83 €13.80

$11.33 €9.88

39.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 €12.31

$13.05 €11.37

8.20%

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

$1,108 €966

$1,111 €969

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,458 €4,758

$5,654 €4,928

-3.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 €85.1

$98.9 €86.2

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 €38.26

$43.66 €38.06

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.5

$108 €94.5

1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €106

$126 €110

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 €1,922

$1,784 €1,555

23.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 €1,586

$1,544 €1,346

17.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,344 €2,915

$2,190 €1,909

52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 €2,473

$2,039 €1,777

39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,071 €4,420

$4,032 €3,514

25.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,175 €2,767

$3,858 €3,363

-17.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,151 €3,619

$2,643 €2,304

57.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

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

Last update for Cork: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mullingar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,205 in Cork and $1,784 in Mullingar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cork pays 57% 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: $91.0 in Cork vs $92.0 in Mullingar. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $361, with Mullingar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mullingar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cork and Mullingar differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($3,204 vs $2,772 including rent). Mullingar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $2,205 in Cork versus $1,784 in Mullingar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Cork. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,204 per month in Cork versus $2,772 in Mullingar – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Mullingar is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Mullingar 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 Mullingar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Cork. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.