Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Dun Laoghaire

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,414 per month in Dublin vs $2,788 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,972 per month in Dublin vs $4,422 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,530 per month in Dublin vs $6,056 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

Dublin costs about 22% more than Dun Laoghaire, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Dun Laoghaire sit above the global median – Dublin by 155%, Dun Laoghaire by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.50 €20.21

$18.69 €16.08

25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.9

$94.0 €80.8

9.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.95 €11.14

$10.41 €8.95

24.40%

Cappuccino

$4.58 €3.94

$4.26 €3.66

7.51%

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

$2.55 €2.20

$2.36 €2.03

8.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.54 €1.33

37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.12

$7.62 €6.56

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.99

$7.08 €6.09

-1.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.69 €1.46

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.32 €2.00

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.10 €1.80

-0.95%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.16

$4.09 €3.52

18.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.49

$12.65 €10.88

-12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 €9.77

$10.35 €8.90

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 €11.98

$11.87 €10.21

17.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$2.88 €2.48

13.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.98 €1.71

3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.77 €2.38

7.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 €4.63

$3.53 €3.04

52.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.39 €1.20

53.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.41 €1.21

22.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.43 €1.23

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.58 €1.36

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.52 €17.65

$19.13 €16.45

7.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.15

$14.15 €12.17

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.14

$3.67 €3.16

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$4.00 €3.44

-0.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.06 €1.77

11.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 €84.1

$69.9 €60.1

40.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.69

$4.85 €4.18

12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.38 €1.19

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.53 €34.01

$39.37 €33.87

0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.05 €1.76

0.49%

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

$43.3K €37.2K

$43.2K €37.2K

0.03%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$38.9K €33.4K

3.53%

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

$285 €245

$281 €241

1.50%

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

$23.65 €20.34

$21.81 €18.76

8.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 €48.71

$58.2 €50.1

-2.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 €51.2

$41.00 €35.27

45.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 €18.36

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.73

$13.77 €11.85

7.48%

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

$1,331 €1,145

$1,058 €911

25.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,690 €8,336

$8,487 €7,300

14.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.0

$100 €86.4

5.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.56 €42.63

$39.16 €33.68

26.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$100 €86.4

17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$128 €110

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 €2,019

$1,549 €1,332

51.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,693

$1,511 €1,300

30.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,125 €3,548

$3,713 €3,194

11.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 €2,832

$3,266 €2,810

0.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,693 €7,478

$4,158 €3,577

109.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,643 €4,854

$3,585 €3,083

57.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,956 €3,403

$4,398 €3,783

-10.06%

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 Dun Laoghaire: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,347 in Dublin versus $1,549 in Dun Laoghaire. 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 11% higher in Dun Laoghaire, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $94.0 in Dun Laoghaire. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $332 – making Dun Laoghaire 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 Dun Laoghaire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,414 in Dublin, $2,788 in Dun Laoghaire – roughly 22% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,121 per month in Dublin and $4,182 in Dun Laoghaire. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin and $94.0 in Dun Laoghaire. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,414 in Dublin and $2,788 in Dun Laoghaire. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,414 in Dublin and $2,788 in Dun Laoghaire. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,788 in Dun Laoghaire to $3,414 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Dun Laoghaire. 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.