Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Loughrea

For one person, living is cheaper in Loughrea: $2,549 a month against $3,690 in Dublin, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

175

Cost of Living Index in Dublin
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Dublin Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Loughrea
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Loughrea Living Index

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Dublin

🇮🇪 Ireland

$3,690

/mo nomad

Loughrea

🇮🇪 Ireland

$2,549

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dublin and in Loughrea

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dublin and in Loughrea actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,690 per month in Dublin vs $2,549 in Loughrea, rent included.

Dublin $3,690
Loughrea $2,549

A couple spends around $5,210 per month in Dublin vs $3,761 in Loughrea, rent included.

Dublin $5,210
Loughrea $3,761

A family of three spends $6,731 per month in Dublin vs $4,974 in Loughrea, rent included.

Dublin $6,731
Loughrea $4,974

Dublin costs about 45% more than Loughrea, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dublin and Loughrea sit above the global median – Dublin by 173%, Loughrea by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.63 €20.15

$22.57 €20.09

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 €89.4

$99.4 €88.5

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.29 €11.83

$13.25 €11.80

0.30%

Cappuccino

$5.00 €4.45

$3.43 €3.05

45.77%

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

$3.00 €2.67

$2.22 €1.97

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €2.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 €6.99

$5.50 €4.90

42.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.76 €6.91

$4.43 €3.95

75.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.42

$1.66 €1.48

-3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 €2.17

$2.28 €2.03

7.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.84

$2.08 €1.85

-0.48%

Eggs

$5.14 €4.57

$4.99 €4.45

3.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 €9.26

$3.31 €2.95

214.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.81 €11.41

$6.53 €5.81

96.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 €14.42

$11.29 €10.05

43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.41

$2.85 €2.54

-4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.96

$2.18 €1.95

0.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 €2.34

$2.68 €2.39

-2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 €4.66

$4.43 €3.95

18.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 €1.79

$1.83 €1.63

9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.37

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.15

$0.74 €0.66

75.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.80

$1.99 €1.77

1.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.94 €18.65

$21.47 €19.11

-2.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 €12.16

$13.38 €11.91

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 €2.96

$3.35 €2.98

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €3.05

$3.57 €3.18

-3.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 €1.98

$2.48 €2.21

-10.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 €96.6

$56.0 €49.86

93.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 €4.40

$5.24 €4.67

-5.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.34

$1.52 €1.36

-1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.17 €29.54

$37.14 €33.07

-10.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.86

$1.76 €1.56

18.75%

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

$39.0K €34.7K

$39.3K €35.0K

-0.85%

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

$38.2K €34.0K

$38.8K €34.5K

-1.47%

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

$279 €248

$165 €147

68.76%

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

$18.14 €16.16

$17.97 €16.00

0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 €47.56

$53.9 €47.97

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 €58.6

$57.8 €51.5

13.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 €18.06

$49.87 €44.40

-59.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 €13.73

$15.67 €13.95

-1.60%

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

$1,260 €1,122

$1,274 €1,134

-1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.4K

$5,211 €4,640

124.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €96.8

$91.1 €81.1

19.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €45.22

$50.9 €45.34

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €99.7

$116 €103

-3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €116

$132 €118

-1.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 €2,193

$1,595 €1,420

54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 €1,968

$1,362 €1,213

62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,258 €3,791

$2,561 €2,280

66.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,424 €3,048

$2,141 €1,906

59.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,503 €7,571

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,983 €5,327

$3,444 €3,067

73.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,741 €3,331

$2,527 €2,250

48.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Dublin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Loughrea: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dublin

$2.2K 59.9%

Loughrea

$1.4K 53.4% 38.4% $848

Groceries & Markets

Dublin

$366 9.9%

Loughrea

$290 11.4% 20.6% $75

Eating Out

Dublin

$357 9.7%

Loughrea

$316 12.4% 11.5% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dublin

$351 9.5%

Loughrea

$237 9.3% 32.3% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Dublin

$181 4.9%

Loughrea

$175 6.9% 2.9% $5.2

Getting Around

Dublin

$130 3.5%

Loughrea

$79 3.1% 39.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Dublin

$97 2.6%

Loughrea

$89 3.5% 7.7% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,463 in Dublin versus $1,595 in Loughrea. 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 48% higher in Dublin. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Dublin versus $99 in Loughrea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $290 – making Loughrea the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇪 Dublin

🇮🇪 Loughrea

🕒 Local time

07:43 7:43 AM

Same time as Dublin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

588,233 Capital

5,600

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Loughrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,690 in Dublin, $2,549 in Loughrea – Loughrea comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,535 per month in Dublin and $3,823 in Loughrea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Loughrea, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,595 there versus $2,463 in Dublin.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,690 in Dublin and $2,549 in Loughrea. That makes Loughrea about 31% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,260 per month in Dublin and $1,274 in Loughrea. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Loughrea, where all-in costs run around $2,549, than in Dublin at $3,690. In Loughrea 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 $2,549 in Loughrea to $3,690 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Loughrea. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.