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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,771 per month in Dublin vs $3,468 in Malahide, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,399 per month in Dublin vs $4,479 in Malahide, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,026 per month in Dublin vs $5,490 in Malahide, rent included.

Dublin costs about 9% more than Malahide, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Dublin and Malahide sit above the global median – Dublin by 176%, Malahide by 154%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.23 €21.99

$25.44 €22.18

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €90.2

$101 €87.8

2.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.59 €11.85

$12.41 €10.82

9.51%

Cappuccino

$5.17 €4.51

$4.37 €3.81

18.31%

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

$3.03 €2.64

$3.09 €2.69

-1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.43 €2.12

-9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 €7.19

$7.01 €6.11

17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 €6.41

$6.80 €5.93

8.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.48

$1.77 €1.54

-4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.11 €1.84

16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.76 €1.53

13.64%

Eggs

$5.13 €4.47

$4.27 €3.72

20.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 €8.94

$12.01 €10.47

-14.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 €11.38

$12.17 €10.61

7.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.38 €14.28

$12.94 €11.28

26.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 €2.70

$2.89 €2.52

6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.49 €2.17

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.58

$3.63 €3.17

-18.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.43 €4.73

$4.28 €3.73

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.13 €1.86

-7.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.34

$1.51 €1.31

1.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.54 €1.35

-9.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.76

$1.93 €1.68

4.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.30 €19.44

$17.81 €15.52

25.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 €12.20

$14.76 €12.87

-5.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 €3.03

$3.18 €2.77

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$4.23 €3.69

-18.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.59 €2.26

-11.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 €97.3

$127 €111

-12.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 €4.72

$5.40 €4.71

0.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.32

$1.34 €1.17

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.26 €33.35

$32.81 €28.60

16.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.83

$2.06 €1.80

1.94%

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

$40.4K €35.3K

$34.5K €30.1K

17.07%

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

$39.3K €34.3K

$42.0K €36.6K

-6.32%

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

$286 €250

$276 €241

3.72%

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

$18.81 €16.40

$25.31 €22.07

-25.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.3 €48.19

$48.13 €41.96

14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €59.3

$52.4 €45.65

29.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.20 €17.60

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 €13.67

$14.93 €13.01

5.02%

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

$1,337 €1,166

$1,196 €1,042

11.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.9K

$5,088 €4,435

191.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.5

$91.4 €79.7

21.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 €45.17

$37.82 €32.97

37.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.8

$114 €99.4

0.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$113 €98.5

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 €2,209

$1,657 €1,445

52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 €1,955

$2,070 €1,804

8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,648 €4,052

$2,571 €2,241

80.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,636 €3,170

$2,182 €1,902

66.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,059 €7,897

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,765 €5,025

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 €3,441

$5,695 €4,964

-30.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.14

-8.45%

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

Last update for Dublin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Malahide: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,534 in Dublin versus $1,657 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 $104 in Dublin versus $101 in Malahide. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $357 – making Malahide 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 Malahide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,771 in Dublin, $3,468 in Malahide – roughly 9% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,657 per month in Dublin and $5,202 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 $104 in Dublin and $101 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 $3,771 in Dublin and $3,468 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 $3,771 in Dublin and $3,468 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 $3,468 in Malahide to $3,771 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.