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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,445 per month in Dublin vs $3,127 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,047 per month in Dublin vs $4,274 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,649 per month in Dublin vs $5,421 in Galway, rent included.

Dublin costs about 10% more than Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Galway sit above the global median – Dublin by 159%, Galway by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.57 €20.41

$18.76 €16.25

25.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €90.8

$97.1 €84.1

8.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.84

$10.52 €9.11

19.01%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.16

$4.17 €3.61

15.11%

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

$2.46 €2.13

$2.32 €2.01

6.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.88

$1.56 €1.35

39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 €6.81

$7.10 €6.15

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 €5.84

$6.29 €5.45

7.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.51 €1.31

9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.93

$2.48 €2.15

-10.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.73

$2.11 €1.83

-5.69%

Eggs

$4.79 €4.15

$4.10 €3.55

16.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.56

$12.58 €10.90

-12.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 €10.02

$10.23 €8.86

13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 €12.04

$12.12 €10.50

14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.89

$2.97 €2.57

12.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.84

$2.06 €1.78

2.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.46

$2.83 €2.45

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.67

$3.37 €2.92

59.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.93

$1.42 €1.23

57.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.48

$1.48 €1.28

14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.43 €1.24

-4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.67 €1.44

19.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.48 €17.74

$19.74 €17.09

3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 €11.83

$14.06 €12.17

-2.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.06

$4.96 €4.30

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.49

$4.85 €4.20

-16.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.31 €2.00

-1.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 €84.5

$68.2 €59.0

43.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 €4.65

$5.08 €4.40

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.38 €1.19

52.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 €34.32

$43.30 €37.50

-8.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.07 €1.79

-3.86%

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

$42.5K €36.8K

$43.1K €37.3K

-1.49%

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

$40.2K €34.8K

$38.5K €33.4K

4.21%

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

$280 €243

$287 €248

-2.27%

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

$23.58 €20.42

$21.96 €19.02

7.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 €49.37

$55.9 €48.41

1.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 €52.5

$56.4 €48.88

7.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 €18.80

$8.52 €7.38

154.81%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.87

$14.05 €12.17

5.84%

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

$1,375 €1,191

$1,064 €922

29.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,491 €8,219

$8,122 €7,034

16.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.3

$91.3 €79.0

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 €43.31

$39.18 €33.93

27.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$102 €88.3

15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$108 €93.1

20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 €2,043

$1,986 €1,720

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 €1,735

$1,731 €1,499

15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,105 €3,555

$3,305 €2,863

24.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,291 €2,850

$2,521 €2,183

30.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,249 €7,144

$5,992 €5,189

37.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,494 €4,758

$4,663 €4,038

17.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,879 €3,359

$3,082 €2,669

25.87%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,359 in Dublin versus $1,986 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 26% 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 $105 in Dublin versus $97.0 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $341 – 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: $3,445 in Dublin, $3,127 in Galway – roughly 10% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,168 per month in Dublin and $4,691 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 $105 in Dublin and $97.0 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 $3,445 in Dublin and $3,127 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 $3,445 in Dublin and $3,127 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 $3,127 in Galway to $3,445 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.