Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Limerick Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Limerick

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,817 per month in Dublin vs $2,930 in Limerick, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,431 per month in Dublin vs $4,117 in Limerick, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,044 per month in Dublin vs $5,304 in Limerick, rent included.

Dublin costs about 30% more than Limerick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dublin and Limerick sit above the global median – Dublin by 178%, Limerick by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 €21.86

$20.57 €17.74

23.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.1

$85.9 €74.1

20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$14.05 €12.12

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$5.02 €4.33

$4.76 €4.10

5.46%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$2.65 €2.28

16.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.27 €1.95

3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.16

$7.62 €6.57

9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 €6.70

$6.83 €5.89

13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.75 €1.51

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.94 €1.67

25.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.84 €1.58

9.78%

Eggs

$5.10 €4.40

$5.45 €4.70

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.91

$8.62 €7.44

19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 €11.29

$13.55 €11.69

-3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$14.68 €12.67

12.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$4.32 €3.73

-28.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.82 €2.43

-17.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$4.06 €3.50

-27.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 €4.85

$4.37 €3.77

28.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$4.56 €3.93

-56.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.93 €2.53

-47.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.34 €1.16

2.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.40 €2.07

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.93 €18.91

$21.73 €18.74

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.18

$17.09 €14.74

-17.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$3.06 €2.64

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$4.14 €3.57

-16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.51 €2.17

-5.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

$62.9 €54.2

80.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.68

$5.92 €5.11

-8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.49 €1.29

6.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 €33.89

$70.0 €60.4

-43.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.04 €1.76

4.41%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$41.0K €35.3K

-0.30%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$39.7K €34.3K

2.88%

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

$271 €234

$170 €146

59.80%

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

$19.42 €16.75

$21.52 €18.56

-9.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.76

$47.18 €40.69

17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.1

$51.8 €44.70

36.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 €18.34

$26.81 €23.12

-20.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.11

$11.63 €10.03

30.70%

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

$1,361 €1,174

$887 €765

53.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.6K

$2,340 €2,018

526.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.8

$89.6 €77.3

22.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €46.18

$37.51 €32.36

42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$93.7 €80.8

22.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$100 €86.4

30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,207

$1,961 €1,692

30.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €1,993

$1,641 €1,416

40.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 €4,006

$2,527 €2,180

83.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 €3,024

$2,339 €2,017

49.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,855 €7,637

$4,605 €3,972

92.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,857 €5,052

$4,051 €3,494

44.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 €3,350

$3,339 €2,880

16.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

3.6

6.11%

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

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Limerick: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,559 in Dublin versus $1,961 in Limerick. 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 16% 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 $103 in Dublin versus $86.0 in Limerick. Groceries tell a different story – $376 in Dublin vs $392 in Limerick – so Dublin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Limerick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,817 in Dublin, $2,930 in Limerick – roughly 30% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,726 per month in Dublin and $4,395 in Limerick. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Limerick, 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 $103 in Dublin and $86.0 in Limerick. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,817 in Dublin and $2,930 in Limerick. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,817 in Dublin and $2,930 in Limerick. 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 $2,930 in Limerick to $3,817 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 Limerick. 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.