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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,771 per month in Dublin vs $3,391 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,399 per month in Dublin vs $4,706 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,026 per month in Dublin vs $6,020 in Galway, rent included.

Dublin costs about 11% more than Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dublin and Galway sit above the global median – Dublin by 176%, Galway by 148%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 €21.99

$22.91 €19.97

10.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €90.2

$117 €102

-11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.59 €11.85

$17.05 €14.86

-20.29%

Cappuccino

$5.17 €4.51

$5.12 €4.46

0.98%

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

$3.03 €2.64

$3.04 €2.65

-0.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.26 €1.97

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 €7.19

$8.00 €6.97

3.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 €6.41

$6.94 €6.05

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.63 €1.42

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.25 €1.96

-11.11%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$4.51 €3.93

13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 €8.94

$17.09 €14.90

-39.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 €11.38

$11.14 €9.71

17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 €14.28

$14.07 €12.27

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 €2.70

$3.17 €2.76

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.35 €2.05

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$3.20 €2.79

-7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 €4.73

$4.19 €3.65

29.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.07 €1.81

-4.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.56 €1.36

-1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.32 €1.15

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.97 €1.72

2.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.30 €19.44

$21.03 €18.33

6.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 €12.20

$14.18 €12.36

-1.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 €3.03

$4.22 €3.68

-17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.68 €4.08

-26.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.21 €1.93

3.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 €97.3

$62.6 €54.6

78.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.72

$5.35 €4.66

1.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.46 €1.28

4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.26 €33.35

$58.5 €51.0

-34.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.20 €1.92

-4.55%

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

$40.4K €35.3K

$40.4K €35.2K

0.09%

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

$39.3K €34.3K

$37.6K €32.8K

4.65%

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

$286 €250

$246 €215

16.41%

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

$18.81 €16.40

$23.03 €20.07

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 €48.19

$52.2 €45.48

5.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €59.3

$45.21 €39.41

50.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.20 €17.60

$23.37 €20.38

-13.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 €13.67

$17.46 €15.22

-10.19%

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

$1,337 €1,166

$1,056 €920

26.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.5

$103 €89.7

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 €45.17

$49.26 €42.94

5.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.8

$116 €101

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$120 €105

7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 €2,209

$2,310 €2,014

9.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 €1,955

$2,025 €1,766

10.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,648 €4,052

$3,726 €3,248

24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,636 €3,170

$2,813 €2,453

29.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,059 €7,897

$6,191 €5,397

46.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,765 €5,025

$4,786 €4,172

20.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 €3,441

$3,001 €2,616

31.54%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,534 in Dublin versus $2,310 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 32% 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 $117 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $378 – making Dublin 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: $3,771 in Dublin, $3,391 in Galway – roughly 11% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,657 per month in Dublin and $5,087 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 $117 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 $3,771 in Dublin and $3,391 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 $3,771 in Dublin and $3,391 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 $3,391 in Galway to $3,771 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.