Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Balbriggan Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Balbriggan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,887 in Dublin versus $2,800 in Balbriggan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,437 in Dublin versus $4,139 in Balbriggan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,988 in Dublin versus $5,477 in Balbriggan.

Living in Dublin is roughly 39% more expensive than in Balbriggan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin 182% above, Balbriggan 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.93 €22.35

$25.24 €21.75

2.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.2

$103 €88.9

1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.01 €12.08

$13.92 €12.00

0.65%

Cappuccino

$4.95 €4.26

$4.99 €4.30

-0.80%

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

$3.03 €2.61

$3.11 €2.68

-2.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 €7.09

$8.00 €6.90

2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 €6.61

$7.58 €6.53

1.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.63 €1.40

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 €2.08

$2.51 €2.16

-3.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.01 €1.73

5.97%

Eggs

$5.11 €4.41

$3.30 €2.84

54.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 €8.92

$10.17 €8.77

1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 €11.37

$12.91 €11.13

2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 €14.64

$16.47 €14.20

3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 €2.68

$3.02 €2.60

2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.42 €2.09

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$2.92 €2.52

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 €4.73

$5.76 €4.96

-4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.96 €1.69

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.54 €1.32

3.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.37 €1.19

-2.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.08 €1.80

-0.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.30 €19.22

$22.43 €19.33

-0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 €12.05

$14.13 €12.18

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.88 €2.48

21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €3.00

$2.67 €2.30

30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.58 €2.22

-12.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.6

$115 €99.4

-1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$5.42 €4.67

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.54 €1.33

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.49 €33.18

$38.32 €33.03

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.23 €1.92

-4.04%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$40.5K €34.9K

1.14%

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

$40.6K €35.0K

$40.2K €34.7K

1.07%

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

$292 €251

$174 €150

67.60%

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

$19.61 €16.91

$17.50 €15.08

12.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 €46.64

$45.91 €39.57

17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 €58.8

$54.7 €47.13

24.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.76 €17.89

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 €13.61

$14.10 €12.15

11.99%

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

$1,355 €1,168

$1,327 €1,144

2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$5,593 €4,821

167.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.7

$112 €96.8

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 €45.96

$28.80 €24.83

85.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.8

$63.5 €54.7

82.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$132 €114

0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 €2,238

$1,643 €1,417

57.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 €2,017

$1,391 €1,199

68.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,565 €3,935

$2,585 €2,228

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,671 €3,164

$2,169 €1,870

69.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,165 €7,900

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,722 €4,932

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,064 €3,504

$2,387 €2,057

70.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.82

-0.79%

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

Last update for Dublin: September 6, 2026

Last update for Balbriggan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,597 in Dublin and $1,643 in Balbriggan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 70% 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: $105 in Dublin vs $103 in Balbriggan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $365 per month, with Balbriggan 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

Dublin vs Balbriggan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dublin and Balbriggan differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($3,887 vs $2,800 including rent). Balbriggan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Dublin, 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: $2,597 in Dublin versus $1,643 in Balbriggan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Dublin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Balbriggan – a meal for two runs $103 versus $105 in Dublin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Balbriggan 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, Dublin and Balbriggan 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 Balbriggan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.