Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Cavan Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Cavan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,414 in Dublin versus $2,447 in Cavan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,972 in Dublin versus $3,770 in Cavan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,530 in Dublin versus $5,094 in Cavan.

Living in Dublin is roughly 40% more expensive than Cavan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin 155% above, Cavan 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.50 €20.21

$17.18 €14.77

36.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.9

$91.0 €78.2

13.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.95 €11.14

$17.05 €14.67

-24.05%

Cappuccino

$4.58 €3.94

$2.95 €2.54

55.25%

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

$2.55 €2.20

$3.43 €2.95

-25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.09 €1.80

1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.12

$6.37 €5.48

29.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.99

$6.91 €5.94

0.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.37 €1.18

21.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.31 €1.99

-3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.94 €1.67

7.22%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.16

$5.48 €4.72

-11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.49

$7.99 €6.88

38.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 €9.77

$16.14 €13.89

-29.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 €11.98

$12.34 €10.61

12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$5.73 €4.93

-42.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.82 €2.43

-27.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$6.86 €5.90

-56.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 €4.63

$4.87 €4.19

10.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.81 €2.42

-23.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.13 €0.98

53.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.28 €1.10

2.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.17 €1.01

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.52 €17.65

$18.91 €16.27

8.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.15

$14.09 €12.12

0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.14

$4.68 €4.03

-21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$5.76 €4.96

-31.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.48 €2.13

-7.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 €84.1

$314 €270

-68.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.69

$5.74 €4.93

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.84 €1.58

10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.53 €34.01

$11.38 €9.79

247.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.94 €1.67

6.19%

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

$43.3K €37.2K

$37.7K €32.4K

14.71%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$38.6K €33.2K

4.35%

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

$285 €245

$204 €175

39.87%

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

$23.65 €20.34

$22.76 €19.58

3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 €48.71

$33.21 €28.57

70.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 €51.2

$88.7 €76.3

-32.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 €18.36

$35.04 €30.14

-39.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.73

$23.46 €20.18

-36.91%

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

$1,331 €1,145

$1,075 €925

23.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,690 €8,336

$7,868 €6,768

23.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.0

$92.8 €79.8

13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.56 €42.63

$29.24 €25.15

69.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$77.6 €66.7

52.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$34.82 €29.95

261.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 €2,019

$1,211 €1,041

93.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,693

$930 €800

111.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,125 €3,548

$2,165 €1,863

90.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 €2,832

$1,683 €1,447

95.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,693 €7,478

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,643 €4,854

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,956 €3,403

$3,010 €2,589

31.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.5

-10.22%

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

Last update for Dublin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cavan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,347 in Dublin and $1,211 in Cavan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 31% 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: $103 in Dublin vs $91.0 in Cavan. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $399, with Dublin 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

Dublin vs Cavan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dublin and Cavan differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($3,414 vs $2,447 including rent). Cavan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dublin pays 31% more on average, 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: $2,347 in Dublin versus $1,211 in Cavan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dublin pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Cavan – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $103 in Dublin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,447 in Cavan versus $3,414 in Dublin, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cavan but tight or insufficient in Dublin. The gap between the two cities makes Cavan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Cavan 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 Cavan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.