Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Arklow Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Arklow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,817 per month in Dublin vs $1,296 in Arklow, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,431 per month in Dublin vs $2,099 in Arklow, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,044 per month in Dublin vs $2,903 in Arklow, rent included.

Dublin costs about 195% more than Arklow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Dublin sits 178% above the global median, while Arklow is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 €21.86

$21.95 €18.93

15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.1

$93.2 €80.4

10.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$11.72 €10.11

19.37%

Cappuccino

$5.02 €4.33

$4.38 €3.78

14.61%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$2.96 €2.55

4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.25 €1.94

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.16

$5.60 €4.83

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 €6.70

$5.40 €4.66

43.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.78 €1.53

-8.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.33 €2.01

4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.97 €1.70

2.54%

Eggs

$5.10 €4.40

$4.72 €4.07

8.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.91

$14.39 €12.41

-28.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 €11.29

$13.63 €11.75

-3.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$16.96 €14.63

-2.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.26 €2.81

-5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.97 €2.56

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$3.54 €3.05

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 €4.85

$4.99 €4.31

12.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.32 €2.00

-14.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.90 €1.64

-18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.50 €1.29

-8.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.13 €1.84

-4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.93 €18.91

$21.21 €18.29

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.18

$14.10 €12.16

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$4.32 €3.73

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.62 €3.12

-4.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.68

$5.46 €4.71

-0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.54 €1.33

3.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 €33.89

$34.56 €29.80

13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.14 €1.84

-0.47%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$40.0K €34.5K

2.08%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$39.8K €34.3K

2.77%

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

$271 €234

$248 €214

9.36%

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

$19.42 €16.75

$22.42 €19.34

-13.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.76

$57.4 €49.54

-3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.1

$45.92 €39.61

54.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 €18.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.11

$14.21 €12.26

6.97%

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

$1,361 €1,174

$1,110 €958

22.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.6K

$5,659 €4,881

158.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.8

$98.9 €85.3

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €46.18

$44.86 €38.69

19.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$110 €95.0

4.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$122 €106

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,207

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €1,993

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 €4,006

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 €3,024

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,855 €7,637

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,857 €5,052

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 €3,350

$4,953 €4,272

-21.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

4.14

-7.73%

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

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Arklow: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 28% higher in Arklow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $93.0 in Arklow. Groceries tell a different story – $376 in Dublin vs $403 in Arklow – so Dublin 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

Dublin vs Arklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,817 in Dublin, $1,296 in Arklow – roughly 195% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,726 per month in Dublin and $1,944 in Arklow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin and $93.0 in Arklow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Dublin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arklow, where all-in costs run around $1,296, than in Dublin at $3,817. In Arklow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dublin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,296 in Arklow to $3,817 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Arklow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.