Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Derry Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Derry

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,445 in Dublin versus $1,869 in Derry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,047 in Dublin versus $2,671 in Derry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,649 in Dublin versus $3,472 in Derry.

Living in Dublin is roughly 84% more expensive than in Derry, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin 159% above, Derry 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.57 €20.55

$13.69 €11.93

72.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €91.5

$61.8 €53.9

69.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.92

$8.28 €7.22

51.21%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.19

$4.35 €3.80

10.34%

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

$2.46 €2.14

$2.07 €1.80

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.89

$1.62 €1.42

33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 €6.85

$5.28 €4.60

48.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 €5.88

$5.40 €4.71

24.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.44 €1.26

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.58 €1.38

41.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$2.09 €1.82

-4.78%

Eggs

$4.79 €4.18

$3.60 €3.14

33.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.62

$12.70 €11.07

-13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 €10.08

$10.19 €8.88

13.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 €12.12

$11.98 €10.44

16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.91

$2.98 €2.60

12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.65 €1.44

28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.76 €2.40

2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.70

$3.50 €3.05

54.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.06 €0.93

110.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.45 €1.26

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.05 €0.91

29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.65 €1.44

21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.48 €17.85

$16.15 €14.08

26.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 €11.91

$10.76 €9.38

26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.08

$2.36 €2.05

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.52

$2.67 €2.32

51.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.44 €2.13

-6.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 €85.1

$99.1 €86.4

-1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 €4.69

$5.03 €4.38

6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.34 €1.16

57.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 €34.55

$42.90 €37.40

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.73

$2.00 €1.74

-0.50%

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

$42.5K €37.0K

$42.4K €36.9K

0.22%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$38.5K €33.6K

4.34%

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

$280 €244

$217 €189

29.33%

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

$23.58 €20.56

$21.33 €18.59

10.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 €49.70

$54.9 €47.84

3.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 €52.8

$33.80 €29.46

79.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 €18.93

$26.53 €23.13

-18.17%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.96

$10.87 €9.48

36.80%

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

$1,375 €1,199

$1,057 €922

30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,491 €8,274

$8,124 €7,082

16.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €94.0

$88.6 €77.3

21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 €43.60

$39.16 €34.14

27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$99.8 €87.0

17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €113

$75.4 €65.7

72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 €2,057

$723 €630

226.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 €1,747

$705 €614

184.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,105 €3,579

$1,246 €1,086

229.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,291 €2,869

$1,044 €910

215.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,249 €7,192

$3,927 €3,424

110.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,494 €4,789

$1,739 €1,516

215.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,879 €3,382

$2,508 €2,186

54.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.18

-3.35%

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

Last update for Dublin: July 28, 2026

Last update for Derry: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,359 in Dublin and $723 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 55% 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 $62.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $300 per month, with Derry 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 Derry: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Derry is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $2,359 in Dublin versus $723 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,375 in Dublin versus $1,057 in Derry. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Dublin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,869 in Derry versus $3,445 in Dublin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Derry but tight or insufficient in Dublin. The gap between the two cities makes Derry the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Derry is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dublin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dublin and Derry 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 Derry gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.