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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,448 per month in Dublin vs $2,483 in Monaghan, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,080 per month in Dublin vs $3,547 in Monaghan, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,712 per month in Dublin vs $4,612 in Monaghan, rent included.

Dublin costs about 39% more than Monaghan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Monaghan sit above the global median – Dublin by 158%, Monaghan by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.37 €20.41

$18.12 €15.84

28.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €90.1

$59.1 €51.6

74.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.64 €11.05

$10.35 €9.04

22.13%

Cappuccino

$4.75 €4.15

$3.84 €3.35

23.70%

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

$2.55 €2.23

$2.37 €2.07

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.89

$1.90 €1.66

13.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 €7.05

$6.95 €6.07

16.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 €6.14

$6.44 €5.63

9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.11 €0.97

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.95

$1.88 €1.64

18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.01 €1.75

2.99%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.10

$4.30 €3.75

9.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 €9.76

$10.37 €9.06

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.43 €9.99

$10.96 €9.58

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 €12.31

$12.14 €10.60

15.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.78

$2.99 €2.61

6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.84

$2.06 €1.80

2.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.50

$3.00 €2.62

-4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 €4.71

$3.72 €3.25

44.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 €1.88

$2.16 €1.89

-0.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.46 €1.27

19.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.30 €1.14

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.83

$1.98 €1.73

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.94 €18.29

$18.31 €16.00

14.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.52 €11.82

$13.99 €12.22

-3.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.11

$3.34 €2.92

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 €3.45

$3.79 €3.31

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.46 €2.15

-7.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.6 €84.4

$99.2 €86.7

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.70

$5.34 €4.67

0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.86 €1.62

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.69 €33.80

$35.92 €31.38

7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.04 €1.78

0.98%

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

$42.9K €37.5K

$42.1K €36.8K

1.97%

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

$40.2K €35.1K

$38.4K €33.5K

4.66%

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

$284 €248

$220 €192

29.07%

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

$23.59 €20.61

$21.37 €18.67

10.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 €50.3

$51.0 €44.59

12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 €52.1

$52.4 €45.76

13.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 €18.60

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 €13.26

$13.97 €12.21

8.59%

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

$1,338 €1,169

$1,052 €919

27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,412 €8,223

$7,844 €6,853

19.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €90.9

$90.4 €79.0

15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.58 €42.45

$38.89 €33.98

24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.6

$99.4 €86.8

14.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$103 €89.7

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 €2,069

$1,475 €1,289

60.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 €1,745

$1,241 €1,084

60.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,127 €3,606

$2,371 €2,072

74.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 €2,858

$1,940 €1,695

68.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,299 €7,251

$3,530 €3,084

135.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,513 €4,817

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,946 €3,448

$3,980 €3,477

-0.85%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Monaghan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,368 in Dublin versus $1,475 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 1% 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: $360 vs $326 – 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: $3,448 in Dublin, $2,483 in Monaghan – roughly 39% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,172 per month in Dublin and $3,724 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 $3,448 in Dublin and $2,483 in Monaghan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Monaghan, where all-in costs run around $2,483, than in Dublin at $3,448. In Monaghan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dublin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,483 in Monaghan to $3,448 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.