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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,469 per month in Dublin vs $2,502 in Loughrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,996 per month in Dublin vs $3,685 in Loughrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,524 per month in Dublin vs $4,868 in Loughrea, rent included.

Dublin costs about 39% more than Loughrea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dublin and Loughrea sit above the global median – Dublin by 159%, Loughrea by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.48 €20.10

$23.37 €20.00

0.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €88.7

$103 €88.6

0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 €10.75

$12.62 €10.80

-0.48%

Cappuccino

$4.83 €4.13

$3.54 €3.03

36.44%

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

$2.57 €2.20

$2.38 €2.04

7.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.16 €1.85

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 €6.81

$5.80 €4.97

37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 €5.98

$4.69 €4.02

48.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.68 €1.44

1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.15 €1.84

2.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 €1.79

$2.00 €1.71

5.00%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.05

$4.78 €4.09

-1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 €9.55

$3.49 €2.99

219.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.46 €9.81

$6.79 €5.81

68.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 €11.95

$11.39 €9.75

22.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 €2.81

$3.20 €2.74

2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$2.15 €1.84

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.49

$2.98 €2.55

-2.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 €4.76

$4.67 €4.00

19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.91

$2.17 €1.86

2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.71 €1.46

-0.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.77 €0.66

76.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.08 €1.78

-0.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.80 €17.81

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 €11.88

$14.22 €12.17

-2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.14

$3.58 €3.07

2.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 €3.41

$3.78 €3.24

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €1.99

$2.41 €2.07

-3.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.4 €81.7

$98.9 €84.7

-3.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.44

$5.45 €4.66

-4.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.04 €1.75

1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.45 €32.91

$38.95 €33.34

-1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.88 €1.61

10.64%

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

$42.1K €36.1K

$43.3K €37.0K

-2.61%

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

$40.1K €34.3K

$40.6K €34.7K

-1.12%

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

$276 €236

$167 €143

65.75%

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

$23.92 €20.47

$19.99 €17.11

19.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €48.62

$58.3 €49.94

-2.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 €51.7

$52.5 €44.96

15.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.54 €18.44

$52.5 €44.97

-59.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 €13.00

$14.99 €12.83

1.33%

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

$1,374 €1,176

$1,361 €1,165

0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,562 €8,185

$9,453 €8,092

1.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €90.6

$93.2 €79.8

13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 €43.02

$49.76 €42.59

0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.6

$118 €101

-2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$127 €108

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,334 €1,998

$1,454 €1,245

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 €1,694

$1,241 €1,062

59.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,998 €3,422

$2,391 €2,046

67.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,278 €2,806

$1,992 €1,705

64.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,969 €6,822

$4,027 €3,447

97.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,822 €4,984

$2,875 €2,461

102.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 €3,686

$2,692 €2,304

59.99%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Loughrea: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,334 in Dublin versus $1,454 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 60% 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 $103 in Loughrea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $300 – making Loughrea 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 Loughrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,469 in Dublin, $2,502 in Loughrea – roughly 39% 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 $3,753 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 $104 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 $3,469 in Dublin and $2,502 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 $3,469 in Dublin and $2,502 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 $2,502 in Loughrea 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 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.