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: $3,887 in Dublin versus $2,655 in Derry.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,437 in Dublin versus $3,242 in Derry.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,988 in Dublin versus $3,830 in Derry.

Living in Dublin is roughly 46% more expensive than in Derry, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin 182% above, Derry 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.93 €22.35

$21.66 €18.68

19.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.2

$53.9 €46.48

94.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.01 €12.08

$9.28 €8.00

50.97%

Cappuccino

$4.95 €4.26

$4.47 €3.86

10.74%

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

$3.03 €2.61

$1.76 €1.52

72.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.68 €1.44

35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 €7.09

$5.48 €4.72

50.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 €6.61

$6.64 €5.72

15.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.60 €1.38

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 €2.08

$1.61 €1.38

49.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.06 €1.77

3.40%

Eggs

$5.11 €4.41

$3.61 €3.11

41.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 €8.92

$13.84 €11.93

-25.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 €11.37

$10.45 €9.01

26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 €14.64

$14.12 €12.17

20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 €2.68

$3.06 €2.64

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$1.63 €1.40

47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 €2.58

$3.23 €2.78

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 €4.73

$4.19 €3.61

31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$1.10 €0.95

79.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.40 €1.21

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.04 €0.89

27.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.87 €1.61

10.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.30 €19.22

$20.94 €18.05

6.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 €12.05

$10.67 €9.20

31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.41 €2.08

44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 €3.00

$2.77 €2.38

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.57 €2.22

-11.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.6

-0.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.71

$5.34 €4.60

2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 €1.38

$1.54 €1.33

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.49 €33.18

$57.7 €49.70

-33.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.11 €1.82

1.42%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$39.7K €34.2K

3.09%

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

$40.6K €35.0K

$39.2K €33.8K

3.73%

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

$292 €251

$252 €218

15.45%

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

$19.61 €16.91

$23.39 €20.16

-16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 €46.64

$52.1 €44.88

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.2 €58.8

$37.28 €32.14

83.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.76 €17.89

$27.25 €23.49

-23.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 €13.61

$13.35 €11.51

18.28%

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

$1,355 €1,168

$1,271 €1,096

6.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K €12.9K

$5,670 €4,888

164.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.7

$102 €88.3

7.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 €45.96

$49.48 €42.65

7.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €99.8

$102 €87.9

13.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €114

$73.8 €63.6

79.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,597 €2,238

$1,631 €1,406

59.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,339 €2,017

$1,388 €1,197

68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,565 €3,935

$1,410 €1,215

223.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,671 €3,164

$1,139 €982

222.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,165 €7,900

$2,338 €2,015

292.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,722 €4,932

$1,733 €1,494

230.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,064 €3,504

$2,703 €2,330

50.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.68

2.99%

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

Last update for Dublin: September 6, 2026

Last update for Derry: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,597 in Dublin and $1,631 in Derry. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin pays 50% 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 $54.0 in Derry for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $322 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% 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 $1,631 in Derry. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,355 in Dublin versus $1,271 in Derry. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Dublin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Derry is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 46% less than in Dublin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.