Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,469 per month in Dublin vs $3,025 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,996 per month in Dublin vs $4,255 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,524 per month in Dublin vs $5,485 in Galway, rent included.

Dublin costs about 15% more than Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Galway sit above the global median – Dublin by 159%, Galway by 126%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.48 €20.10

$18.83 €16.12

24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €88.7

$94.4 €80.8

9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 €10.75

$10.50 €8.98

19.62%

Cappuccino

$4.83 €4.13

$4.38 €3.75

10.27%

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

$2.57 €2.20

$2.40 €2.06

7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.62 €1.39

30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 €6.81

$6.87 €5.88

15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 €5.98

$6.55 €5.61

6.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.52 €1.30

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.52 €2.16

-12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.14 €1.83

-1.87%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.05

$4.07 €3.49

16.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 €9.55

$12.77 €10.93

-12.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 €9.81

$10.37 €8.88

10.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 €11.95

$11.80 €10.10

18.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 €2.81

$3.01 €2.58

8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$2.08 €1.78

2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.49

$2.80 €2.40

3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 €4.76

$3.40 €2.91

63.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.91

$1.45 €1.24

53.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.41 €1.21

20.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.45 €1.24

-6.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.67 €1.43

23.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.80 €17.81

$19.49 €16.68

6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 €11.88

$14.60 €12.50

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.14

$4.79 €4.10

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 €3.41

$5.09 €4.36

-21.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €1.99

$2.28 €1.96

1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 €81.7

$68.9 €59.0

38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.44

$4.97 €4.26

4.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.38 €1.18

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.45 €32.91

$43.55 €37.28

-11.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.00 €1.71

4.00%

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

$42.1K €36.1K

0.05%

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

$40.1K €34.3K

$39.7K €34.0K

0.90%

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

$276 €236

$280 €240

-1.39%

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

$23.92 €20.47

$21.99 €18.82

8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €48.62

$54.9 €46.97

3.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 €51.7

$56.5 €48.36

6.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.54 €18.44

$8.74 €7.48

146.45%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 €13.00

$14.15 €12.11

7.35%

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

$1,374 €1,176

$1,057 €905

29.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 €8,185

$7,993 €6,842

19.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €90.6

$91.9 €78.7

15.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.02

$39.82 €34.08

26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.6

$101 €86.7

13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$108 €92.3

16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,334 €1,998

$2,024 €1,733

15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,694

$1,719 €1,471

15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,998 €3,422

$3,303 €2,828

21.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,278 €2,806

$2,589 €2,216

26.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,969 €6,822

$6,276 €5,373

26.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,822 €4,984

$4,813 €4,120

20.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 €3,686

$3,219 €2,755

33.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.8

-15.83%

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

Last update for Dublin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Galway: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,334 in Dublin versus $2,024 in Galway. 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 34% higher in Dublin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $104 in Dublin versus $94.0 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $343 – making Galway 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 Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,469 in Dublin, $3,025 in Galway – roughly 15% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,203 per month in Dublin and $4,537 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galway, 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 $104 in Dublin and $94.0 in Galway. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,469 in Dublin and $3,025 in Galway. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,469 in Dublin and $3,025 in Galway. 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 $3,025 in Galway to $3,469 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 Galway. 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.