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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,400 per month in Dublin vs $3,062 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,968 per month in Dublin vs $4,298 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,536 per month in Dublin vs $5,534 in Galway, rent included.

Dublin costs about 11% more than Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Galway sit above the global median – Dublin by 153%, Galway by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €19.88

$18.19 €15.67

26.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €91.0

$94.8 €81.6

11.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 €11.04

$10.27 €8.85

24.73%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.92

$4.33 €3.73

5.08%

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

$2.58 €2.22

$2.42 €2.09

6.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.55 €1.34

41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 €7.15

$6.79 €5.85

22.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 €6.11

$6.39 €5.51

10.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.50 €1.29

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.51 €2.16

-14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.22 €1.91

-6.31%

Eggs

$4.67 €4.03

$4.06 €3.50

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 €9.65

$12.60 €10.86

-11.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 €9.96

$10.41 €8.97

11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 €12.44

$11.70 €10.08

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 €2.86

$2.98 €2.56

11.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.10 €1.81

1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.72 €2.35

8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 €4.79

$3.37 €2.90

64.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.39 €1.20

61.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.40 €1.21

26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.45 €1.25

-11.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.65 €1.42

20.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.56 €17.71

$19.77 €17.03

4.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 €11.83

$14.13 €12.17

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.06

$4.74 €4.08

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 €3.46

$4.87 €4.20

-17.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.22 €1.91

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 €84.1

$69.1 €59.5

41.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 €4.62

$4.89 €4.21

9.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.38 €1.19

53.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.23 €33.80

$43.42 €37.41

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$1.97 €1.70

3.05%

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

$43.0K €37.1K

$43.1K €37.1K

-0.08%

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

$41.1K €35.4K

$39.7K €34.2K

3.37%

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

$279 €240

$286 €246

-2.56%

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

$24.41 €21.04

$21.68 €18.68

12.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 €49.76

$55.1 €47.45

4.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 €52.6

$57.2 €49.31

6.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 €18.77

$8.31 €7.16

162.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 €13.12

$13.88 €11.96

9.73%

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

$1,340 €1,155

$1,052 €906

27.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 €8,352

$8,072 €6,955

20.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.0

$89.5 €77.1

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 €43.44

$39.49 €34.02

27.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$103 €88.5

13.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$108 €92.7

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 €2,028

$1,977 €1,704

19.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 €1,691

$1,745 €1,504

12.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,121 €3,551

$3,360 €2,895

22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,276 €2,822

$2,497 €2,151

31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,592 €7,402

$6,209 €5,350

38.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,719 €4,928

$4,644 €4,001

23.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 €3,401

$3,248 €2,798

21.55%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Galway: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,354 in Dublin versus $1,977 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 22% 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 $106 in Dublin versus $95.0 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $340 – 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: $3,400 in Dublin, $3,062 in Galway – roughly 11% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,101 per month in Dublin and $4,593 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 $106 in Dublin and $95.0 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 $3,400 in Dublin and $3,062 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 $3,400 in Dublin and $3,062 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 $3,062 in Galway to $3,400 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.