Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Monaghan Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Monaghan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,817 per month in Dublin vs $2,580 in Monaghan, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,431 per month in Dublin vs $3,682 in Monaghan, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,044 per month in Dublin vs $4,785 in Monaghan, rent included.

Dublin costs about 48% more than Monaghan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Monaghan sit above the global median – Dublin by 178%, Monaghan by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 €21.86

$18.35 €15.82

38.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.1

$58.6 €50.6

76.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$12.52 €10.79

11.74%

Cappuccino

$5.02 €4.33

$4.48 €3.87

12.05%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$3.05 €2.63

1.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$2.22 €1.91

5.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.16

$6.88 €5.93

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 €6.70

$7.07 €6.10

9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.69 €1.46

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.30 €1.98

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.03 €1.75

-0.49%

Eggs

$5.10 €4.40

$4.47 €3.86

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.91

$11.29 €9.74

-8.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 €11.29

$12.91 €11.13

1.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$14.15 €12.20

16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.22 €2.77

-4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.39 €2.06

-2.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$3.32 €2.86

-11.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 €4.85

$4.98 €4.30

12.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.05 €1.77

-2.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.55 €1.34

-0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.38 €1.19

-0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.08 €1.79

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.93 €18.91

$20.83 €17.96

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.18

$13.55 €11.69

4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$3.20 €2.76

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.74 €3.23

-7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

$2.52 €2.18

-5.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

$110 €94.5

3.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.68

$5.29 €4.56

2.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.61 €1.39

-1.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 €33.89

$38.15 €32.90

2.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.90 €1.64

12.11%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$40.2K €34.7K

1.53%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$35.9K €31.0K

13.78%

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

$271 €234

$248 €214

9.26%

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

$19.42 €16.75

$21.32 €18.39

-8.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.76

$52.5 €45.28

5.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.1

$59.3 €51.1

19.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 €18.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.11

$13.87 €11.96

9.59%

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

$1,361 €1,174

$1,125 €971

20.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.6K

$5,441 €4,693

169.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.8

$98.6 €85.1

11.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €46.18

$45.43 €39.19

17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$109 €94.2

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$133 €115

-2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,207

$1,351 €1,165

89.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €1,993

$1,209 €1,043

91.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 €4,006

$2,280 €1,967

103.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 €3,024

$1,877 €1,619

86.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,855 €7,637

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,857 €5,052

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,884 €3,350

$4,187 €3,611

-7.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

4.14

-7.73%

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

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Monaghan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,559 in Dublin versus $1,351 in Monaghan. 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 8% higher in Monaghan, 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 $103 in Dublin versus $59.0 in Monaghan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $366 – making Monaghan 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 Monaghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,817 in Dublin, $2,580 in Monaghan – roughly 48% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,726 per month in Dublin and $3,870 in Monaghan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monaghan, 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 $59.0 in Monaghan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,817 in Dublin and $2,580 in Monaghan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,817 in Dublin and $2,580 in Monaghan. 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 $2,580 in Monaghan to $3,817 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 Monaghan. 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.