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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,445 per month in Dublin vs $2,301 in Kilkenny, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,047 per month in Dublin vs $3,172 in Kilkenny, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,649 per month in Dublin vs $4,043 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

$23.57 €20.55

$16.12 €14.05

46.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 €91.5

$69.3 €60.4

51.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.92

$10.27 €8.96

21.91%

Cappuccino

$4.80 €4.19

$4.19 €3.65

14.56%

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

$2.46 €2.14

$2.27 €1.98

8.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 €1.89

$1.75 €1.53

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 €6.85

$6.03 €5.25

30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 €5.88

$6.82 €5.94

-1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.44

$1.15 €1.01

44.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.94

$2.06 €1.79

8.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.74 €1.52

14.37%

Eggs

$4.79 €4.18

$3.25 €2.83

47.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.62

$9.54 €8.32

15.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 €10.08

$9.30 €8.11

24.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 €12.12

$8.16 €7.11

70.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.91

$2.27 €1.98

47.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.74 €1.51

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$3.43 €2.99

-17.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.70

$2.02 €1.76

166.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.94

$1.22 €1.07

82.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.19 €1.03

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.01 €0.88

34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.02 €0.89

96.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.48 €17.85

$19.49 €16.99

5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 €11.91

$13.40 €11.69

1.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.08

$2.92 €2.55

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.52

$2.81 €2.45

43.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.98

$2.38 €2.07

-4.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 €85.1

$100 €87.2

-2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 €4.69

$5.16 €4.50

4.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 €1.84

$1.16 €1.01

81.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.63 €34.55

$35.25 €30.73

12.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.73

$2.07 €1.80

-3.86%

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

$42.5K €37.0K

$37.5K €32.7K

13.12%

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

$40.2K €35.0K

$21.6K €18.8K

86.21%

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

$280 €244

$157 €137

78.78%

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

$23.58 €20.56

$22.01 €19.19

7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 €49.70

$50.1 €43.70

13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 €52.8

$55.5 €48.41

9.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 €18.93

$11.59 €10.11

87.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.87 €12.96

$13.80 €12.03

7.75%

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

$1,375 €1,199

$1,015 €885

35.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,491 €8,274

$7,393 €6,445

28.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €94.0

$74.9 €65.3

43.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 €43.60

$23.28 €20.29

114.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €103

$81.4 €71.0

44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €113

$80.7 €70.4

60.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 €2,057

$1,484 €1,294

59.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 €1,747

$1,208 €1,053

65.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,105 €3,579

$2,410 €2,101

70.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,291 €2,869

$1,648 €1,437

99.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,249 €7,192

$8,217 €7,163

0.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,494 €4,789

$2,298 €2,003

139.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,879 €3,382

$2,760 €2,407

40.52%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kilkenny: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,359 in Dublin versus $1,484 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 41% 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 $69.0 in Kilkenny. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $267 – 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: $3,445 in Dublin, $2,301 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 $5,168 per month in Dublin and $3,451 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 $105 in Dublin and $69.0 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 $3,445 in Dublin and $2,301 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 $2,301, than in Dublin at $3,445. 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 $2,301 in Kilkenny 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 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.