Cost of Living Comparison Between Derry and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Derry and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,709 in Derry versus $3,435 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,335 in Derry versus $4,835 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,961 in Derry versus $6,236 in Galway.

Living in Derry costs roughly 21% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Derry 97% above, Galway 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.49 €18.53

$23.56 €20.32

-8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 €46.33

$115 €99.3

-53.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 €8.26

$17.60 €15.18

-45.63%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.01

$4.96 €4.28

-6.25%

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

$1.78 €1.54

$3.17 €2.73

-43.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.50

$2.38 €2.05

-26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 €4.63

$8.01 €6.91

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 €5.71

$7.02 €6.05

-5.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.72 €1.48

-11.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 €1.39

$2.48 €2.14

-35.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.29 €1.97

-8.30%

Eggs

$3.54 €3.06

$4.57 €3.94

-22.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 €12.12

$17.22 €14.85

-18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 €8.93

$11.39 €9.82

-9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 €12.21

$14.11 €12.17

0.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 €2.64

$3.04 €2.62

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$2.26 €1.95

-25.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 €2.71

$3.22 €2.78

-2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 €3.74

$4.21 €3.63

2.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.91

$2.12 €1.83

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.59 €1.37

-7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.32 €1.14

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.98 €1.71

-2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.18 €18.27

$21.17 €18.26

0.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 €9.33

$14.33 €12.36

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$4.24 €3.66

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.40

$4.54 €3.91

-38.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.16 €1.86

16.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 €93.0

$64.8 €55.9

66.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 €4.63

$5.44 €4.69

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.55 €1.33

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.3 €49.45

$58.1 €50.1

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.17 €1.87

-4.15%

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

$40.0K €34.5K

$41.2K €35.6K

-3.00%

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

$37.8K €32.6K

$38.2K €32.9K

-1.02%

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

$249 €215

$248 €214

0.25%

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

$23.77 €20.50

$23.68 €20.42

0.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 €45.65

$52.0 €44.88

1.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.18 €32.07

$45.70 €39.41

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.74 €23.06

$22.88 €19.73

16.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 €11.84

$17.39 €15.00

-21.05%

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

$1,267 €1,093

$1,053 €908

20.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,949 €5,131

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.3

$106 €91.2

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.57 €42.75

$50.8 €43.85

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.6

$113 €97.8

-10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 €63.6

$119 €103

-38.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 €1,393

$2,363 €2,038

-31.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 €1,206

$2,033 €1,754

-31.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 €1,208

$3,803 €3,280

-63.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 €988

$2,839 €2,449

-59.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,405 €2,075

$6,218 €5,363

-61.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,772 €1,528

$4,804 €4,143

-63.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,769 €2,389

$2,955 €2,548

-6.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

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

Last update for Derry: September 1, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,615 in Derry and $2,363 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 7% 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: $54.0 in Derry vs $115 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $381 per month, with Derry 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

Derry vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derry is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Galway. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,615 in Derry versus $2,363 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Derry versus $1,053 in Galway. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Derry is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Derry is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Galway, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Derry and Galway 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 Derry gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.