Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Malahide Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Malahide

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,400 per month in Dublin vs $2,512 in Malahide, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,968 per month in Dublin vs $3,717 in Malahide, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,536 per month in Dublin vs $4,922 in Malahide, rent included.

Dublin costs about 35% more than Malahide, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Malahide sit above the global median – Dublin by 153%, Malahide by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €19.88

$21.31 €18.36

8.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €91.0

$107 €92.0

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 €11.04

$10.60 €9.14

20.85%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.92

$4.09 €3.53

11.25%

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

$2.58 €2.22

$2.45 €2.11

5.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.00 €1.72

9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 €7.15

$6.87 €5.92

20.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 €6.11

$6.15 €5.30

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.53 €1.32

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.05 €1.77

4.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.98 €1.71

5.05%

Eggs

$4.67 €4.03

$4.39 €3.79

6.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 €9.65

$10.24 €8.82

9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 €9.96

$11.19 €9.64

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 €12.44

$12.03 €10.36

19.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 €2.86

$2.92 €2.52

13.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.08 €1.79

2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$2.94 €2.54

0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.56 €4.79

$3.76 €3.24

47.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.23 €1.92

0.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.51 €1.30

17.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.31 €1.12

-1.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.71

$2.02 €1.74

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.56 €17.71

$18.55 €15.98

10.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 €11.83

$12.51 €10.77

9.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.06

$3.36 €2.89

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 €3.46

$3.70 €3.19

8.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.45 €2.11

-6.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.6 €84.1

$97.5 €84.0

0.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 €4.62

$5.33 €4.59

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.92 €1.66

10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.23 €33.80

$35.19 €30.32

11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.75

$2.08 €1.79

-2.40%

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

$43.0K €37.1K

$42.1K €36.3K

2.25%

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

$41.1K €35.4K

$39.8K €34.3K

3.19%

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

$279 €240

$217 €187

28.71%

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

$24.41 €21.04

$22.04 €18.99

10.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 €49.76

$50.7 €43.69

13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 €52.6

$51.9 €44.73

17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 €18.77

Cinema Ticket

$15.23 €13.12

$13.97 €12.04

9.02%

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

$1,340 €1,155

$1,048 €903

27.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 €8,352

$7,668 €6,607

26.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €92.0

$90.5 €78.0

17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 €43.44

$38.91 €33.52

29.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100

$99.2 €85.4

17.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €112

$103 €88.7

26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,354 €2,028

$1,444 €1,244

63.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 €1,691

$1,221 €1,052

60.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,121 €3,551

$2,384 €2,054

72.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,276 €2,822

$2,004 €1,727

63.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,592 €7,402

$3,954 €3,406

117.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,719 €4,928

$3,401 €2,930

68.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 €3,401

$5,674 €4,889

-30.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.53

-10.82%

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

Last update for Dublin: June 7, 2026

Last update for Malahide: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,354 in Dublin versus $1,444 in Malahide. 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 44% higher in Malahide, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Dublin versus $107 in Malahide. Groceries tell a different story – $361 in Dublin vs $330 in Malahide – so Malahide 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 Malahide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,400 in Dublin, $2,512 in Malahide – roughly 35% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,101 per month in Dublin and $3,767 in Malahide. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malahide, 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 $106 in Dublin and $107 in Malahide. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,400 in Dublin and $2,512 in Malahide. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,400 in Dublin and $2,512 in Malahide. 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 $2,512 in Malahide to $3,400 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 Malahide. 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.