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: $3,817 in Dublin versus $2,565 in Cavan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,431 in Dublin versus $3,961 in Cavan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,044 in Dublin versus $5,358 in Cavan.

Living in Dublin is roughly 49% more expensive than in Cavan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin 178% above, Cavan 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 €21.86

$17.35 €14.97

46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.1

$91.5 €79.0

12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$17.14 €14.78

-18.38%

Cappuccino

$5.02 €4.33

$3.69 €3.18

36.04%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$3.54 €3.05

-12.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.05 €1.76

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.16

$6.09 €5.26

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 €6.70

$7.05 €6.08

10.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.30 €1.12

24.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.30 €1.98

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.01 €1.73

0.50%

Eggs

$5.10 €4.40

$4.56 €3.93

11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.91

$13.81 €11.91

-25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 €11.29

$16.57 €14.29

-20.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$11.98 €10.33

37.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$5.95 €5.13

-48.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.84 €2.45

-17.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$6.92 €5.97

-57.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 €4.85

$4.92 €4.24

14.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.89 €2.49

-31.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.18 €1.02

30.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.30 €1.12

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.18 €1.02

72.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.93 €18.91

$18.99 €16.37

15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.18

$14.17 €12.22

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$4.70 €4.05

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$5.94 €5.12

-41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

$318 €274

-64.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.68

$5.68 €4.90

-4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 €33.89

$11.73 €10.11

234.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.08 €1.79

2.40%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$38.6K €33.3K

5.87%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$37.9K €32.7K

7.83%

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

$271 €234

$254 €219

7.02%

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

$19.42 €16.75

$23.43 €20.21

-17.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.76

$50.7 €43.75

9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.1

$116 €99.9

-38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 €18.34

$35.00 €30.19

-39.26%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.11

$23.52 €20.29

-35.37%

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

$1,361 €1,174

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.8

$93.9 €81.0

17.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €46.18

$28.60 €24.66

87.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$92.5 €79.8

23.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$34.31 €29.60

280.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,207

$1,212 €1,045

111.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €1,993

$927 €799

149.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 €4,006

$2,193 €1,891

111.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 €3,024

$1,652 €1,424

112.31%

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

$3,036 €2,619

27.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

4.05

-5.68%

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

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cavan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,559 in Dublin and $1,212 in Cavan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 28% 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 $92.0 in Cavan. Groceries flip the comparison at $376 vs $416, 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 49% in total monthly costs ($3,817 vs $2,565 including rent). Cavan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $2,559 in Dublin versus $1,212 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.

All in, you'll spend $3,817 per month in Dublin versus $2,565 in Cavan – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Cavan 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 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 49% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.