Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Portlaoise Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Portlaoise

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,817 per month in Dublin vs $2,447 in Portlaoise, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,431 per month in Dublin vs $3,879 in Portlaoise, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,044 per month in Dublin vs $5,310 in Portlaoise, rent included.

Dublin costs about 56% more than Portlaoise, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dublin and Portlaoise sit above the global median – Dublin by 178%, Portlaoise by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 €21.86

$21.70 €18.72

16.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €89.1

$68.3 €58.9

51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.99 €12.07

$12.39 €10.69

12.91%

Cappuccino

$5.02 €4.33

$4.48 €3.86

12.05%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$2.62 €2.26

17.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.71 €1.48

37.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.16

$7.13 €6.15

16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 €6.70

$5.83 €5.03

33.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.69 €1.46

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 €2.09

$2.39 €2.06

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.91 €1.64

5.76%

Eggs

$5.10 €4.40

$4.79 €4.13

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 €8.91

$14.54 €12.54

-28.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 €11.29

$13.40 €11.56

-2.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 €14.25

$17.48 €15.08

-5.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.65

$3.34 €2.88

-7.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.98 €2.57

-21.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 €2.54

$3.44 €2.97

-14.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 €4.85

$5.09 €4.39

10.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.43 €2.09

-18.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.84 €1.58

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.46 €1.26

-6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.22 €1.92

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.93 €18.91

$20.76 €17.91

5.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.18

$14.08 €12.14

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$4.21 €3.63

-16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.69 €3.18

-5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

$4.73 €4.08

-49.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €97.9

$46.16 €39.81

145.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.68

$5.35 €4.62

1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 €33.89

$34.33 €29.61

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.04 €1.76

4.41%

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

$40.8K €35.2K

$40.4K €34.9K

1.04%

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

$40.9K €35.3K

$38.7K €33.4K

5.63%

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

$271 €234

$251 €217

7.89%

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

$19.42 €16.75

$22.93 €19.78

-15.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 €47.76

$58.5 €50.5

-5.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.8 €61.1

$59.1 €51.0

19.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 €18.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 €13.11

$14.18 €12.23

7.19%

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

$1,361 €1,174

$1,124 €969

21.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.6K

$5,500 €4,744

166.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.8

$97.5 €84.1

12.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 €46.18

$45.13 €38.93

18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.9

$107 €92.3

7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €113

$116 €100

12.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,559 €2,207

$1,292 €1,114

98.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €1,993

$1,027 €886

124.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 €4,006

$2,403 €2,073

93.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 €3,024

$2,230 €1,923

57.24%

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

$3,306 €2,851

17.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.82

3.5

9.14%

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

Last update for Dublin: August 29, 2026

Last update for Portlaoise: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,559 in Dublin versus $1,292 in Portlaoise. 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 17% 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 $103 in Dublin versus $68.0 in Portlaoise. Groceries tell a different story – $376 in Dublin vs $404 in Portlaoise – so Dublin 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 Portlaoise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,817 in Dublin, $2,447 in Portlaoise – roughly 56% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,726 per month in Dublin and $3,670 in Portlaoise. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portlaoise, 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 $68.0 in Portlaoise. 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 $2,447 in Portlaoise. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Portlaoise, where all-in costs run around $2,447, than in Dublin at $3,817. In Portlaoise 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 $2,447 in Portlaoise 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 Portlaoise. 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.