Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Ballina Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Ballina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,458 per month in Dublin vs $2,549 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,028 per month in Dublin vs $3,663 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,598 per month in Dublin vs $4,776 in Ballina, rent included.

Dublin costs about 36% more than Ballina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Ballina sit above the global median – Dublin by 158%, Ballina by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.89 €19.53

$17.42 €14.86

31.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €87.7

$68.6 €58.5

49.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 €11.05

$12.60 €10.75

2.86%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €3.92

$4.09 €3.49

12.47%

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

$2.57 €2.19

$1.53 €1.30

67.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.89

$1.31 €1.12

69.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 €6.86

$5.71 €4.87

40.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 €5.88

$6.77 €5.77

1.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.42

$1.66 €1.42

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 €1.86

$2.06 €1.75

5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$2.06 €1.76

0.49%

Eggs

$4.67 €3.98

$3.21 €2.74

45.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 €9.73

$11.07 €9.45

3.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.40 €9.73

$11.53 €9.84

-1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 €12.25

$14.23 €12.14

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 €2.84

$3.23 €2.76

3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.60 €1.36

26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.53

$2.86 €2.44

3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 €4.58

$5.54 €4.73

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.70 €1.45

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.37 €1.17

-5.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 €17.35

$20.82 €17.76

-2.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 €11.92

$10.49 €8.95

33.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.13

$3.62 €3.09

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 €3.45

$3.99 €3.41

1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.96

$2.44 €2.08

-5.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.2 €82.1

$98.5 €84.1

-2.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.43

$4.76 €4.06

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.66 €2.27

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.23 €32.61

$38.59 €32.92

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.03 €1.73

1.97%

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

$42.8K €36.5K

$36.1K €30.8K

18.50%

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

$40.9K €34.9K

$38.4K €32.7K

6.55%

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

$280 €239

$278 €237

0.54%

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

$24.44 €20.85

$24.35 €20.77

0.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €47.99

$41.19 €35.14

36.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 €50.9

$52.1 €44.44

14.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.76 €18.56

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 €13.02

$12.56 €10.71

21.50%

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

$1,366 €1,165

$1,334 €1,138

2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,666 €8,245

$9,459 €8,068

2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.6

$108 €91.9

-0.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 €43.01

$49.58 €42.29

1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.5

$115 €98.3

0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €109

$117 €99.5

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,330 €1,988

$1,498 €1,277

55.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,686

$1,220 €1,040

62.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,017 €3,427

$2,375 €2,026

69.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,356 €2,863

$1,961 €1,673

71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,902 €6,741

$3,541 €3,021

123.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,926 €5,055

$2,940 €2,508

101.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,309 €3,676

$3,461 €2,952

24.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Dublin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ballina: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,330 in Dublin versus $1,498 in Ballina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Dublin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $69 in Ballina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $345 – making Ballina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ballina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dublin costs about 36% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,186 per month in Dublin and $3,824 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Ballina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,366 per month in Dublin and $1,334 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,458 in Dublin and $2,549 in Ballina. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,549 versus $3,458 in Dublin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ballina. 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.