Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Loughrea Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Loughrea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,513 per month in Dublin vs $2,470 in Loughrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,094 per month in Dublin vs $3,732 in Loughrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,674 per month in Dublin vs $4,995 in Loughrea, rent included.

Dublin costs about 42% more than Loughrea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dublin and Loughrea sit above the global median – Dublin by 164%, Loughrea by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.20 €19.98

$23.21 €19.99

-0.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.0

$103 €88.5

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.98 €11.18

$12.48 €10.75

4.01%

Cappuccino

$4.65 €4.01

$3.40 €2.93

36.76%

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

$2.55 €2.20

$2.34 €2.02

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.23 €1.92

-3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 €7.01

$5.95 €5.12

36.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 €5.88

$4.50 €3.87

51.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.45

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 €1.90

$2.13 €1.84

3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.99 €1.71

1.01%

Eggs

$4.80 €4.13

$4.78 €4.12

0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 €9.61

$3.53 €3.04

216.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 €9.95

$7.08 €6.09

63.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 €12.38

$11.73 €10.10

22.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 €2.74

$3.24 €2.79

-1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.10 €1.81

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$2.99 €2.57

-5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.60 €4.82

$4.55 €3.92

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.94

$2.23 €1.92

1.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.78 €1.54

-5.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.16

$0.82 €0.71

64.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.08 €1.80

0.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.70 €17.82

$20.66 €17.79

0.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 €12.22

$13.69 €11.79

3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.05

$3.51 €3.02

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 €3.46

$3.90 €3.36

3.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.38 €2.05

-3.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.9 €84.3

$98.9 €85.2

-0.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 €4.55

$5.44 €4.68

-2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.14 €1.84

-3.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.20 €33.75

$39.69 €34.17

-1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.82 €1.57

13.19%

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

$42.7K €36.7K

-0.06%

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

$40.9K €35.2K

$40.2K €34.6K

1.89%

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

$275 €237

$167 €144

64.44%

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

$23.92 €20.60

$20.15 €17.35

18.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 €50.3

$58.4 €50.2

0.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 €51.9

$52.8 €45.48

14.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.72 €18.70

$53.1 €45.69

-59.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 €12.82

$14.78 €12.73

0.74%

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

$1,375 €1,184

$1,365 €1,175

0.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,674 €8,330

$9,706 €8,358

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.8

$92.6 €79.8

15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.34

$50.0 €43.06

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$117 €101

1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €110

$126 €108

2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,412 €2,077

$1,467 €1,263

64.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 €1,734

$1,266 €1,090

59.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,112 €3,541

$2,398 €2,065

71.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,312 €2,852

$1,987 €1,711

66.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,669 €7,465

$4,074 €3,508

112.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,801 €4,995

$3,235 €2,786

79.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,961 €3,411

$2,657 €2,288

49.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Dublin: June 14, 2026

Last update for Loughrea: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,412 in Dublin versus $1,467 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 49% 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 $103 in Loughrea. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Dublin vs $301 in Loughrea – so Loughrea 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 Loughrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,513 in Dublin, $2,470 in Loughrea – roughly 42% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,269 per month in Dublin and $3,705 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. 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 $103 in Loughrea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,513 in Dublin and $2,470 in Loughrea. 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 $3,513 in Dublin and $2,470 in Loughrea. 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 $2,470 in Loughrea to $3,513 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 Loughrea. 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.