Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Kilkenny Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Kilkenny

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,469 per month in Dublin vs $2,313 in Kilkenny, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,996 per month in Dublin vs $3,242 in Kilkenny, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,524 per month in Dublin vs $4,170 in Kilkenny, rent included.

Dublin costs about 50% more than Kilkenny, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dublin and Kilkenny sit above the global median – Dublin by 159%, Kilkenny by 73%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.48 €20.10

$16.14 €13.81

45.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €88.7

$69.6 €59.6

48.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 €10.75

$10.61 €9.09

18.38%

Cappuccino

$4.83 €4.13

$4.19 €3.59

15.27%

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

$2.57 €2.20

$2.37 €2.03

8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.82

$1.71 €1.47

23.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 €6.81

$5.98 €5.12

33.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 €5.98

$6.90 €5.91

1.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.16 €1.00

47.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.04 €1.75

7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.68 €1.43

25.00%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.05

$3.22 €2.76

46.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 €9.55

$9.45 €8.09

17.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 €9.81

$9.39 €8.04

22.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 €11.95

$8.59 €7.35

62.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 €2.81

$2.29 €1.96

43.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.73 €1.48

23.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.49

$3.57 €3.06

-18.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 €4.76

$2.01 €1.72

176.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.91

$1.18 €1.01

88.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.13 €0.96

50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.02 €0.87

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.02 €0.88

102.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.80 €17.81

$19.08 €16.33

9.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 €11.88

$14.02 €12.00

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.14

$2.90 €2.49

26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 €3.41

$2.96 €2.54

34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €1.99

$2.26 €1.94

2.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 €81.7

$99.8 €85.4

-4.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.44

$5.24 €4.48

-0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.19 €1.02

73.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.45 €32.91

$35.96 €30.78

6.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.78

$2.07 €1.78

0.48%

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

$42.1K €36.1K

$37.6K €32.2K

11.99%

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

$40.1K €34.3K

$22.0K €18.8K

82.64%

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

$276 €236

$160 €137

72.23%

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

$23.92 €20.47

$21.79 €18.65

9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €48.62

$49.91 €42.72

13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 €51.7

$54.6 €46.75

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.54 €18.44

$11.76 €10.06

83.16%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 €13.00

$13.68 €11.71

11.04%

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

$1,374 €1,176

$1,012 €866

35.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 €8,185

$7,370 €6,309

29.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €90.6

$75.4 €64.6

40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.02

$23.59 €20.19

113.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.6

$83.4 €71.4

38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$81.9 €70.1

53.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,334 €1,998

$1,464 €1,253

59.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,694

$1,219 €1,044

62.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,998 €3,422

$2,476 €2,119

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,278 €2,806

$1,677 €1,435

95.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,969 €6,822

$8,474 €7,253

-5.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,822 €4,984

$2,310 €1,977

152.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 €3,686

$2,859 €2,447

50.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.27

-5.39%

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

Last update for Dublin: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kilkenny: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,334 in Dublin versus $1,464 in Kilkenny. 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 51% 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 $70.0 in Kilkenny. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $269 – making Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,469 in Dublin, $2,313 in Kilkenny – roughly 50% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,203 per month in Dublin and $3,470 in Kilkenny. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilkenny, 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 $70.0 in Kilkenny. 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 $2,313 in Kilkenny. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kilkenny, where all-in costs run around $2,313, than in Dublin at $3,469. In Kilkenny it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dublin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,313 in Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. 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.